Luke Bryan experienced an artistic pitfall early on in his career when a song he believed in didn’t have the commercial success he’d hoped for. Bryan proved to be a star right out of the gate when his debut single, “All My Friends Say,” was a Top 5 hit on country radio in 2007. But it was the follow-up single, “We Rode in Trucks,” that he was hoping would achieve the same feat.
Videos by American Songwriter
Bryan co-wrote the song with Roger Murrah and Jim McCormick as a rural American anthem, the lyrics referencing his native Georgia and the simplicity of small-town life. Down where I was born, it was heaven on earth / The Flint River washes that red Georgia dirt / The sun sets slow and the stars shine bright/Where I grew up / We rode in trucks, he sings in the final chorus.
“We Rode in Trucks” peaked at No. 33 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, while his next single, “Country Man,” was a Top 10 hit. “When ‘We Rode in Trucks’ didn’t make it, it was probably the darkest artist headspace I’ve ever been in because I thought ‘We Rode in Trucks’ was going to propel my career on a fast track,” Bryan explained to American Songwriter and other media. “It didn’t go well for me and I was pretty upset about it.”
[RELATED: Luke Bryan on What He’s Learned from Katy Perry and Lionel Richie]
During this time, Bryan had also turned in a batch of songs to his label that they didn’t deem single-worthy and was delivered “a lot of bad news” at once, further plummeting him into frustration. But that’s when his positive mentality kicked in.”At some point, I just told myself, ‘Don’t be that,'” Bryan asserted. Despite the discouraging results of “We Rode in Trucks,” Bryan’s luck quickly turned around, as he’s now amassed 30 No. 1 singles.
Bryan has since made positivity and his fun-loving spirit an integral part of his brand and music. He says he’s intentional about treating fans with respect when they ask for a photo, as he knows the interaction will leave a lasting impression. “I try to be as real as I can with people because I always felt they’ll spend the rest of their life spreading that experience and always smiling about it,” he expressed. “I think for the most part I just love doing this. I didn’t ask to be born to do it, but I think I was born to do it. I think I was born to care for people.”
The superstar is in the midst of his 2023 Farm Tour that kicked off on September 14 in Kentucky and concludes on September 23 in Minnesota.
Photo by Terry Wyatt/WireImage
