In Conversation With… Eric Paslay

For episode 86 of the podcast, we interview Eric Paslay on what keeps him coming back to the UK, his love of Glasgow and what to expect from the studio album.

This is your fourth time over here in the UK, you’re part of this group of people who are really committing to the UK audience, so what made that so important to you?

People keep showing up. The crowd keeps growing which is incredible and I love it over here, it really is special. Look we’re sitting here on this old terrace that was probably built in the early 1900s it’s awesome. I love the people and the fact that y’all are welcoming me back, we’ll keep coming back.

Obviously a lot has changed since you were last here. You now have a little baby, congratulations. Has that changed your perception of yourself as a songwriter and artist?

Thing is, they’re truer emotions. I think I’ve definitely written a bunch of songs about little kids and stuff, probably just from me being a kid and that thought of being innocent again and things like that. There’s a song that’ll be on the new album that’s out early next year that’s about her. She’s just amazing, she’s a bundle of joy and Natalie and I are thrilled. They’re actually in England right now.

You’ve just released your first track from the live album. Why did you choose Glasgow? 

I think it chose me. One of the first times I remember playing in Europe, the crowd was just so receptive and welcoming, they were singing along to every word and clapping. Then I realised that’s all of Europe.

‘Barefoot Blue Jean Night’ was the first track you released from the live album. I know at the beginning of the live version, you said how grateful you were to Jake for releasing that song. Do you think a lot ever about who is going to release your music? 

If anyone ever wants to record a song, I never say no, it’s one of those things. I mean selfishly, because I am a singer and an artist, you want to have hits; had I known any of those songs were going to go number one, of course I would have held onto them. I knew they were great songs, it just wasn’t the time in my life to record them and it was for them.

Do you like to have a kind of relationship with the artists who take your songs? 

I’m fortunate because I’m an artist so I actually get to see a lot of people who have recorded my songs on the road and we tour together. I mean a lot of songwriters in Nashville have never even met the artist who they wrote a number one song for, which is sort of weird and a bummer but it’s the truth and there’s nothing really wrong with it. I mean in a dream world it would be nice if they came out together for a while.

I’ve heard a new studio album is rumoured to be in the works. So I guess what can we expect from the new album?

It’s going to sound very live because it is. 80% of the album we didn’t cut to click, so that means it’s very live and means you can’t fix it with a computer. It was a great band, we caught magic. I can’t wait for people to hear it.

I also heard rumours that Lucie Silvas and Caitlin Smith are on the record…. They’re some of my favourite voices, how did that come about?

We’ve got some great singers in Nashville, some great writers, that sounds like a great idea, maybe I’ll do that…  You just get lucky that they’re in town. I’ve always loved Lucie, she’s just incredible. I love John, we’re brothers, red beard brothers. Caitlin was actually a writer on a song that we wrote together.

What else then is in the works? 

Touring, touring and then we can’t wait to come back here.

Complete the sentence…

Music is…the healthiest drug you can take.

Country music is…the heart and soul. Everyone has a heart and soul. Country music is as old as time, from the hills of Ireland and the highlands of Scotland to the hills of Tennessee and everywhere else in the world. Country music speaks to the heart of everyone.

Eric Paslay is…5 foot 16.

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