Josh Thompson’s Honest Tales of Work, Love and Beer Strike a Chord With Fans

“If I got a ‘don’t care’ attitude and long hair and mean every damn word I’m saying, I blame it on Waylon,” Josh Thompson sings in his new video “Blame It On Waylon,” and the lyrics are truth for the singer/songwriter and the increasingly large crowds coming out to see him and sing every word.

Those sing-alongs are particularly loud when he plays “Beer on the Table,” a hit on country radio and top country video. “It’s almost to the point where I don’t have to sing it,” Josh says with a chuckle. “As a songwriter and an artist, that’s the biggest payoff you can get is watching people sing your lyrics back at you. And it’s apparent that it’s striking a chord.”

“It’s about working hard and playing harder,” Josh explains, chatting with TodaysCountryMusicVideos.com as he was driving to his latest show. He wrote the song about working on a concrete crew in his native Wisconsin, and his fans – be they construction workers, high school students, insurance agents or even soccer moms – connect with the simple but honest lyrics and catchy tune.

That honesty also comes through as Josh talks about being able to do what he loves for a living. “I am very proud to play country music,” Josh says. “I grew up on it. I love it. That’s what I write. I don’t think I could sell anything else, really.”

Like many songwriters, Josh easily shares even his most personal thoughts and pain with his fans. The song “Sinner,” for example, “That’s pretty much about me walking that line between good and bad, like I think everyone does,” he explains. “It’s a confessional, really.”

“Sinner” is one of the highlights of Josh’s new CD “Way Out Here,” which will be released on February 23. You can listen to “Sinner,” the hit “Beer on the Table” as well as “Blame it on Waylon” and “Won’t Be Lonely Long” at JoshThompsonOfficial.com.

Josh will launch the CD with a release party February 22 in Milwaukee in his home state of Wisconsin. It’s a day off from his new gig opening for Eric Church on the Jagermeister Country Tour, which has more than 3o dates and runs well into the spring.

Life on the road is old hat for Josh and his band. They’re been out playing “Beer on the Table” since fall 2007, playing all across the country in a passenger van they’ve named Van-A-White. You can take a hilarious tour of Van-A-White and meet the slightly creepy little Van Wilder mascot at JoshThompsonOfficial.com.

Being a hot country artist on the road has its perks, of course. Josh says he loves the crowds, which are growing with every show, and he’s been able to play with great country artists, including Eric Church, Randy Houser, Dierks Bentley, Gretchen Wilson and the legendary Hank Jr. He’s also had some interesting fan encounters, including requests to sign body parts — “but only the good ones,” he laughs.

Listen to Josh talk about touring, what he misses while out on the road, connecting with fans through Twitter, and whether he’d rather play a show with Miranda Lambert or go hunting with Blake Shelton.

Watch “Blame it on Waylon” online at CMT.com.

Visit the Josh Thompson website at JoshThompsonOfficial.com

Vicky Dobbin is a country music fan in Falls Church, Virginia. Follow her at Twitter.com/vdobbin. Read her blog at LoveMyCountryMusic.com.

Audio of Vicky’s interview with Josh:

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