After penning songs recorded by a who’s-who list of country artists that includes Blake Shelton, Luke Bryan, Dierks Bentley, Rascal Flatts, and Tim McGraw, the spotlight is finally shining on RCA Records Nashville singer/songwriter Ryan Hurd as his own artist. 2017 saw the release of his 4-track debut EP while 2018 kicked off with “Diamonds or Twine” (written as a wedding gift for his now-wife Maren Morris) and concluded with the surprise release “Michigan For The Winter” as a holiday treat for his fans. His current single “To A T”, which hits local country radio in February, has already claimed the top spot on the SiriusXM The Highway’s Hot 30 Countdown; the first of several top spots to come.
Every singer/songwriter has their own writing processes and routines, and Hurd is no different. With so many hit songs under his belt – “Lonely Tonight” (Blake Shelton featuring Ashley Monroe), “Sunrise, Sunburn, Sunset” (Luke Bryan), “Later On” (The Swon Brothers) and “You Look Good” (Lady Antebellum) just to name a few – what does he do to get his artistic juices flowing? We reached out to the Michigan native to get a peek as to what his writing process looks like:
“Every song is different, but it’s nice to be in Nashville where there are some constraints. I’ll say this, most songs start with a title and a musical feel these days. I feel like the hardest part of learning how to be a professional writer is learning how to write backwards from a hook and learning how to write smart when you’re not inspired. Music is fueled by emotion, but writing is just work sometimes, and that’s a good thing.”
Hurd kicks off his full-band, four-city club tour with special guest Ryan Beaver this Thursday, January 17. Each city and venue was personally selected by Hurd as they provide the perfect atmosphere for his lyrical catalogue.
And if there was any question regarding his choices, each show is officially sold-out.
Ryan Hurd Tour Dates:
| JAN 17 | WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA | THE TROUBADOUR | SOLD OUT |
| JAN 25 | NEW YORK, NY | THE BOWERY BALLROOM | SOLD OUT |
| FEB 23 | CHICAGO, IL | JOE’S ON WEED ST. | SOLD OUT |
| FEB 28 | NASHVILLE, TN | EXIT/IN | SOLD OUT |
For more information on Ryan Hurd, visit his website at ryanhurd.com and follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.