“All grit and no quit.”
Thanks to a work ethic courtesy of his experience in oil fields and his desire to follow his dream of country music, those five words are the life motto of Texas Country singer Josh Ward. And that frame of mind has paid off: with four full-length albums under his wing and numerous #1s, Ward has made quite the name for himself in Texas Country, and with the release of his first national single last year, his authentic country sound was introduced to those outside the Lone Star State. Ward’s talent also caught the attention of fellow Texans Aaron Watson and Cody Johnson, who recently welcomed him out on the road cross-country. Now the Montgomery, TX native is hitting a few shows with Voice Alum Jake Worthington, including a stop at the legendary 3rd and Lindsley this Wednesday, April 10th in Nashville.
We caught up with Ward to talk about his career, his latest album, and going national.
CN: For our readers who may not be familiar with you, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
JW: I was born and raised in East Texas. I’m a country music singer, outdoors man, husband and father. I have been playing music for 15 years and it’s been quite a ride. Eleven consecutive #1 hit singles in Texas, a recently successful national single, constant touring across the US…I am a happy and humbled man.
CN: You have had quite a journey to get to where you are today, and perhaps the easiest way to summarize you is with the statement “All grit and no quit” which are words you live by. How has your experience working in rodeo and on oil fields conditioned you as person, both professionally and personally?
JW: It taught me how to have a hard work ethic through conditioning. The whole experience made me strong, made me capable of handling whatever life throws at me. When I think about everything that ever happened in the oil fields, I realize that it all prepared me for dealing with catastrophic problems, and there is a lot of that when trying to establish a music career. Music is an everyday thing. You have to put your guns up and every single day and try to overcome the hurdles. Are we going to have a blow out on the road? Are we going to make it to the gig? I learned to problem solve under stress and keep my wheels in forward motion.
CN: When did you discover music and realize that this was the next chapter in life for you follow?
JW: I discovered music at a very young age, about 9 years old. There was always a lot of Merle Haggard and George Jones played at home. Then one night I saw Gary Stewart perform, heard him sing “She’s Acting Single” like 10 feet away from me, and I knew then I wanted to play. I played for fun on the rodeo circuit…I still remember being in the back of that Chevy Beretta going to the next town. After the rodeos, the only people who wanted to listen to me play were my buddies so, I played for them. We were just some gypsies running up and down the road. They told me I could play and sing better than I could ride a bucking horse. So, I learned how to entertain folks. It spawned from there.
CN: Which musicians have influenced you both personally and as an artist?
JW: Keith Whitley, Merle Haggard, George Jones, George Strait, Chris LeDoux.
CN: Can you take us through your song writing process? Do you draw mostly from personal experiences, or from those around you?
JW: Both. When I see what’s going on around me, I get that mental or emotional connection. An idea for a song can come from just about anywhere. I read a little deeper into what a conversation might be…about the topic. Some things are like little song angels, little pieces of time. I usually try to write about real life experiences, but it doesn’t have to be something dramatic that happens. I am that guy who is a better co-writer.
CN: Last May, you released your fourth full-length album More Than I Deserve. You’ve stuck to your formula with the belief to not fix what isn’t broken, and as a result you’ve given your fans another album of wonderful authentic country music. Can you tell us a little bit about the process that went into making this album?
JW: Teaming up with such great writers for sure. People like Terry McBride, Chris Stapleton, Wyatt McCubbin. It was a tedious song selection process, trying to figure out which song I wanted to write and which song I wanted to cut. I have that disease that I think every song has to be a hit. If it’s mediocre…I won’t do it. Every time we go on in the studio, we seem to catch lightening in a bottle. I am at home in the studio. The creative juices just start flowing. It’s a really cool experience.
CN: The album also features your very talented band members as well as a few special guests.
JW: I have one of the best bands in Texas. When we step on stage I want my fans to think we just turned the record on, lick for lick. We are perfectionists. I want to give them what they are buying on the album, and then some. Getting to record with Terry McBride and having him sing harmonies was awesome. John Carroll (Cory Morrow) played guitar, Nate Coon (drummer for Aaron Watson) and Milo Dearing (played with The Eagles). These are the A-team of Rosewood studios handpicked by my producer Greg Hunt. I never thought I would get to work with some of the guys I listened to and looked up to growing up.
CN: Three of the songs on the album feature you as a writer – “A Cowboy Can,” “One More Shot of Whiskey” and the title track “More Than I Deserve.” What inspired these three songs?
JW: “A Cowboy Can” is about me. The life that I lead, what I believe in and my work ethic. It’s not easy living this life. I have been at the bottom and have considered giving up, but a cowboy attitude is one of determination. There is not quit running in my veins.
“More Than I Deserve” pretty much speaks for itself. The song is about the love of a women that too good to be true, But the title is a banner statement from me to my fans. Words can’t describe the emotion that gets pout into these runs, and the work that we do. And these people pay their hard earned money to see it every night. Every time I step on stage, they remind me that I have more than I deserve.
“One More Shot Of Whiskey” is just a good ole song. It was written quickly…just came out in a flash.
CN: Congratulations on scoring your 10th #1 with your single “All About Lovin’” – a track that was written by a trio of fellas some might have heard of (Chris Stapleton, Terry McBride and Brice Long). What was it about the song that made you want to record it, and then ultimately release it as the lead single?
JW: “All About Lovin’” was a fun summer time, party-and-have-a-good-time song, and we love to play it live. The driving guitar and the feel of the song stuck out to me. It paints a sexy picture: the guy is going to load up his girlfriend and go take a drive, and get back to me and you. It’s a song we felt everyone could relate to. Since then we have scored another #1 with “Ain’t It Baby.” Same scenario. If you look at my track record…we are always talking about drinking, loving and fighting….that’s country to me. I have learned that if you want to make it in this business, you have to write songs that speak to women in a complimentary way. Let them know you think they are beautiful.
CN: Texas Country is its own living being within the genre of country music, and to say you are a successful artist in its realm is quite an understatement. 10 #1’s – make that consecutive#1s. 200+ tour dates a year. 2 Million+ YouTube views. What does this success and knowing so many fans connect with your music mean to you?
JW: It means the world to me. We are that new age of country music, but we still have the nuances of the 90’s sound. I think that is what people have been missing and I think they are gravitating towards that because it’s like a blast from their past. People want to hear it again. Coming from a good ole boy for East Texas that gets to do what he loves for a living…it’s huge. Night after night we see the crowds singing our songs back to us and I have to step back because I get all choked up. That‘s what makes it all worth it. They give me 110 % of themselves. It’s why I named the album “More Than I Deserve.” It’s a play of words. The song talks about a woman, but it’s more of a statement on my life so far.
CN: On October 26th you took the next step of your career, releasing your first national country single “Ain’t It Baby.” Can you tell us about the discussions that went into deciding to go national? What made you chose “Ain’t It Baby” to be your first national introduction?
JW: It was decision based off a career move. If we are going to go the next level, that‘s the next step. To step up with the big boys. We picked that song because it’s the kind of sentiment that reverberates with pretty much everyone. The fact that it made it to #42 on Billboard…that was one hell of an accomplishment. I’ve never been there before. This a world we have never dabbled in and we are honored to be on that stage.
CN: Do you have a dream collaboration in mind?
JW: I’ve never actually thought about that, but now that you ask, I would say it would be fun to do something with my buddies, like Cody Johnson, Aaron Watson and Chancey Williams. Something in the vein of a cowboy collaboration.
CN: What do you have planned for 2019?
JW: Extensive touring, more writing, releasing new singles and cutting a new album.
For tickets to Josh Ward’s show at Nashville’s 3rd and Lindsley on April 10, visit ticketweb.com
More Than I Deserve is available for download and streaming here.
For more information on Josh Ward, including upcoming tour dates, visit his website at joshwardmusic.com and follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.