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Easton Corbin Interview: Country Superstar Slips into the Driver's Seat on 'All Over the Road'

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Easton Corbin

Country music artist Easton Corbin will release his highly anticipated second album entitled All Over the Road on September 18, 2012. The eleven-song set includes the fast rising single, “Lovin’ You is Fun.”

All Over the Road is the follow-up to Easton’s acclaimed self-titled debut that came out in 2010. Easton Corbin spawned back to back number ones with the first two singles, “A Little More Country Than That” and “Roll With It,” making him the first male country artist in seventeen years to have his first two consecutive singles reach No. 1.

"When I was a kid, I wanted to take guitar lessons so badly. I finally did. I always thought playing an instrument would be so neat."

In December 2010, the Trenton, Florida native won the New/Breakthrough Artist of the Year, the Single by New/Breakthrough Artist (“A Little More Country Than That”), and Music Video by New/Breakthrough Artist (“A Little More Country Than That”) at the American Country Awards. He was also nominated for several other Country Music Association and CMT Music Awards.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Easton, the new music is great! I really like your sound.

Easton Corbin: Well, thank you very much. I appreciate that.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): The title is All Over the Road. Is that a metaphor for the music?

Easton Corbin: First of all, it’s the title track off the record. It’s a fun song and title, and that’s exactly what we’re doing out here. We’re everywhere.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Are you still touring with Brad Paisley?

Easton Corbin: We just got off that tour.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): How does this album differ from the first record?

Easton Corbin: Its still country. That’s what it is, and that’s what I do. It’s still a very recognizable sound, but I think this record shows a little growth. That’s very important in a new artist. Melodically, it goes into some places that I haven’t gone before. There are definitely some recognizable differences, but there is still that recognizable country sound everybody knows me for, Melissa.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Did you write any of the songs?

Easton Corbin: I wrote, “A Thing for You,” and “This Feels a Lot Like Love.”

Easton Corbin

Easton Corbin (Photo by Jim Wright)

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Do you draw from personal experiences when writing?

Easton Corbin: I think when you write a song or choose a song that someone else has written, it doesn’t matter. You have personal pride for those songs whether you’ve lived it, or you just love it. Each song you record, you have some kind of personal tie to, whether you’ve written it or not. When I write, there are some personal experiences, but it’s all a part of you.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): “Lovin’ You is Fun,” is a fun song, so to speak.

Easton Corbin: Yes. That is the first single off the record.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Is “Hearts Drawn in the Sand” the second single?

Easton Corbin: No. That’s kind of an early teaser. It’s just a little sample of what is on the record. We decided to release one more song, not as a single, but to buy off of iTunes. That’s just a record strategy. You can buy that song now.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Do you consider yourself a traditional country artist like George Jones and Merle Haggard?

Easton Corbin: They are two of my heroes. So, yeah, I consider myself a traditional country artist. Of course, I don’t compare myself to them (laughs). You’ve go to be mighty stout to compare yourself to those guys. They are legends and one of a kind. I’d like to emulate their careers. I try, but that’s a hard thing to do for anybody (laughs).

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): You literally just broke out into the music scene about three years ago. How have you handled such “quick” success?

Easton Corbin: Well, quick success is a relative term. That’s kind of like overnight success. I don’t know if there is such a thing. I think if you’re successful, then you’ve been working for a long time. It takes a while to be successful at anything whether you’re considered an overnight success or not.

I just think that when you live in it every day, it is work. But, I guess, looking from the outside, it appears like overnight success. I’ve worked on some of this since I was a kid, developing the talent.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): It’s a lot of work, isn’t it?

Easton Corbin: It is. But, it’s enjoyable. I love it.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): What have you learned so far in the music business?

Easton Corbin: I’ve learned that in the end you have to be true to yourself. You have to be true to what you do. You have to be honest with yourself, and you have to surround yourself with a good team. It’s not just one guy. It’s not just me. It’s a team of people working together toward a common goal and having that same direction.

It’s about being true to yourself and honest with yourself and keeping on that straight and narrow path, to try not to vary from that. I think consistency is the best course.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Easton, you have been described as “wholesome.” Do you like that term or would you sometimes prefer to be called wild and crazy?

Easton Corbin: Oh, heck, I want to be known as a good guy, you know? I am who I am. I want to appeal to everybody. Hell, I ain’t crazy. I’m boring most of the time. It’s hard to answer that. I am me.

I definitely wouldn’t consider myself wild and crazy. I don’t think I’d consider myself that. Well, actually, I probably am crazy. I guess we’re all a little crazy being out here doing what we do (laughs). You’ve go to be a little bit crazy.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): How was it growing up in the small town of Trenton, Florida?

Easton Corbin: It was a great community. I grew up around my grandparents a lot. The cool thing about a small community is that everybody knows everybody. That could be good and bad sometimes (laughs). But, I love the intimacy of that and the small town feel. I started kindergarten in Trenton and graduated in Trenton.

Easton Corbin - All Over The RoadThere were kids I went all the way through school with. That’s a cool feeling. I guess about the time I graduated, there was only about a handful of us that went to school together. That’s just a good feeling. It’s an anchor, I guess you could say. It gives you a feeling of having a home knowing all those people you’ve grown up with all your life and having that sense of intimacy. It’s a farming community. I grew up in 4-H showing calves in the local fair. It’s just a good community full of great people.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Were your grandparents strict on you?

Easton Corbin: No, they weren’t too strict. I never was much trouble, although they may have a different answer for you (laughs). But, no, they didn’t have to crack the whip on me. As far as working on the farm, I really enjoyed it. It was never anything they made me do. I always enjoyed being around them.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): While you were working on the farm, did you ever think that you’d be signed to a major record label?

Easton Corbin: I always wanted to be, but that was a long way from Gilchrist County. I thank the Lord that He had a plan for me.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): You were raised as a Christian?

Easton Corbin: Yeah, I grew up in church, and I love the Lord. He has been very good to me and has blessed me and given me this opportunity, so I’m just very thankful for that for sure.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): You’ve always wanted to be in music?

Easton Corbin: Absolutely. When I was a kid, I wanted to take guitar lessons so badly. I finally did. I always thought playing an instrument would be so neat.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): How did you get your first big break?

Easton Corbin: I had a cousin who was a professor of entertainment management down in Montana. I was going back and forth to Nashville and recording some demos. He had some friends in Nashville and told me, “I’m not doing this because I’m related to you. I really think you have a shot. I wouldn’t put my name out there if you weren’t good enough. I’m doing this because I honestly think you’re good enough. You need somebody to hear you.” I said, “I appreciate it.” He called a guy named James Yelich who was a former booking agent in Nashville, and he heard me sing.

When I got to Nashville, I took my guitar and sang a few songs for James and Joe Fisher from Universal Music Group. He was an A&R (Artist & Repertoire) guy, and I didn’t know what the heck an A&R guy was. Hell, I didn’t know what he was. But, he was from that label and liked what he heard.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Joe was in charge of finding and developing new talent.

Easton Corbin: Yeah. They brought me to Universal, and I played for Joe and Brian Wright (also from the label), and they went ahead and signed me.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Do you interact with fans on social media?

Easton Corbin: Absolutely. I love it. I love Facebook and Twitter, especially Twitter because it is instant fan mail, and you can interact with the people and be personal. It’s just a really cool way to do that and to tell the fans that I’m watching them and want them to be involved. I let them know that I’m not just out here playing music. I’m involved with them as well, and I appreciate them.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Since you’re off tour with Brad, what’s happening now?

Easton Corbin: We’re doing our own stuff at shows right now and really promoting this new record that’s coming out September 18. We’ll be on Good Morning America the day of the release. We’re just so excited about it.

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