Tyler Hubbard Reveals He Wrote This Song for Jonathan Wier
Today on Country 102.5, Jonathan and Ayla sat down with country music sensation Tyler Hubbard for an exclusive interview. With a new single climbing the charts and an upcoming appearance on NBC’s Toby Keith American Icon Show, Tyler had plenty to talk about. From sharing a humorous story about forgetting the lyrics to a hit song, to discussing the inspiration behind his feel-good music, and which song he wrote for Jonathan Wier!
Jonathan Wier: Country 102.5, it’s Jonathan and Ayla here. And instead of the usual “Dirt,” today we have a very special guest. He’ll be here on November 7th at the House of Blues with Alana Springsteen. You’ve heard his new single “Park” playing all the time on Country 102.5, and his new album Strong is out and doing just that—going strong! Everybody, please welcome Tyler Hubbard to the show.
Tyler Hubbard: Hey, good morning. How are y’all?
Ayla: Great!
Jonathan Wier: Fantastic! So, something I didn’t mention is that you’ll be on NBC on August 28th for the Toby Keith American Icon Show, which is a tribute to Toby Keith with some of the biggest stars in country. Do you know what song you’re going to be performing?
Tyler Hubbard: I do! I’m going to be doing “Red Solo Cup.”
Ayla: What an iconic song! No one could do it better than you.
Tyler Hubbard: Well, I don’t know about that, but I appreciate it!
Jonathan Wier: Actually, didn’t you forget the words during the performance recently?
Tyler Hubbard: Yeah, that was during the pre-tape, actually. Thanks for reminding me, Jonathan! But you know what, I think it made me look human. Forgetting the words to a song is something that can happen to anyone.
Jonathan Wier: It did make you look awesome though. Almost everyone can relate to forgetting the words to something.
Tyler Hubbard: Yeah, honestly, I don’t know if the TV network will edit that out or not, but I kind of hope they leave it in. Sometimes imperfection is perfect, you know? But yeah, it was a lot of fun, and what an honor it was.
Jonathan Wier: Exactly, sometimes you need a little “Wabi-Sabi,” right?
Ayla: I can’t wait to watch it! Speaking of your music, when I listen to it, and I think I speak for a lot of people, it makes me feel really happy. Do you write like that on purpose because you’re in a great mood, or do you just know people need to feel inspired and happy?
Tyler Hubbard: It’s a little bit of both. I want to feel happy too, so I don’t want to sing songs that make me feel sad every night. There are a lot of great sad country songs out there, but I’ve been leaning into songs that make me feel good—songs that are fun to play live. I love hearing that my music makes people feel happy. Music has a lot of power, and if it can make someone feel a little bit better, then I think that’s a pretty cool thing.
Ayla: Oh, you’re welcome. “Inside and Out” is my favorite of yours, by the way. I know you wrote it about your daughter, and it truly is a favorite of mine.
Tyler Hubbard: Thank you, that means a lot.
Jonathan Wier: “Dancin’ in the Country” is another favorite, and I know you wrote that one because you wanted your kids to have a song they could dance to, right?
Tyler Hubbard: I appreciate that! Well, I wrote that one for you, Jonathan, so you know… [laughs]
Jonathan Wier: Oh, well, thanks! I’ve been dancing ever since! Not that I’m going to embarrass myself by dancing anytime soon…
Tyler Hubbard: [laughs] The kids love it, though. It’s definitely inspired by that freedom kids have when they just want to run around and dance. They certainly do that with that song, so it’s a lot of fun.
Jonathan Wier: Alright, tell us about your new single, “Park.”
Tyler Hubbard: Yeah, man, it’s just another up-tempo, fun song. It’s got a little bit of a risque vibe in a cool way, and it’s just a lot of fun to play live. I’m excited about it, and I appreciate you guys playing it. The fans are really digging it too.
Jonathan Wier: Well, you’re going to be here at the House of Blues on November 7th with Alana Springsteen. You haven’t started the tour yet, right?
Tyler Hubbard: Not yet, but we’re about two weeks away.
Jonathan Wier: Are you looking forward to getting back on tour?
Tyler Hubbard: I am! We’ve been doing a lot of fairs, festivals, and cool shows this summer, so we haven’t had much downtime. But there’s something about starting up a new tour—me and the band have a lot of energy and excitement, so it’s going to be a fun fall.
Jonathan Wier: Is touring something where, by the end, you’re like, “Thank God it’s over,” but then when you’ve been off the road for a bit, you can’t wait to get back out there?
Tyler Hubbard: Exactly like that! I love what I do—traveling, meeting fans, playing shows—but after a while, you definitely feel the need to recharge. It’s like anything else; you’ve got to refuel so you can get back out there and give the fans all you’ve got. But I love the balance, and it’s something I’m always checking in on.
Jonathan Wier: Tyler Hubbard, his new single “Park” is playing all the time on Country 102.5. It’s off his latest album Strong, and again, he’ll be here on November 7th at the House of Blues with Alana Springsteen. You can also catch his performance of “Red Solo Cup,” the perfected-but-not-perfect version, on the Toby Keith American Icon Show, which airs on NBC on August 28th. Tyler, thank you so much!
Tyler Hubbard: Thank you guys for your time this morning. I appreciate all the support, and we’ll see you on November 7th.
