I am so happy to be able to do what I love. To have the songs I've written for other artists go No. 1 and my songs go to No. 1 has been amazing.
— Cole Swindell
You play shows all over the country and hope that radio gets a chance to get out to see you, but that doesn't always happen like that.
I try to live every day and realize that there are so many folks working hard to try to get to where I am and how fortunate that I am.
I've always been a huge Eric Church fan. I'll never forget being in college listening to his first album and how much it inspired to write my own music.
All I ever wanted to do was write songs, and I just dreamed of putting out an album and having a single that maybe did alright.
I graduated with about 23 people, so if you were the least bit athletic, you kind of had to play everything. So I played baseball, basketball, football, ran track, and played golf.
I started performing in college, but I wasn't writing a lot.
This album means a lot to me, and partnering with Cracker Barrel to have it in their stores is very exciting. I am a big fan of the brand, so it was a natural fit to team up with them to have 'You Should Be Here' in its stores nationwide.
The power of music is real.
I'm not very patient.
Diamond Resorts delivers world-class events and high-caliber hospitality; I look forward to representing Diamond and performing in the 2017 Diamond Resorts Concert Series to help make vacations unforgettable for their members.
Me and Luke are fraternity brothers. Luke Bryan was already in Nashville when I got to college. He had come back to his old fraternity house, which was my new fraternity house. We met there and just kinda stayed in touch.
I'm getting to do, like, 11 stadium shows with Kenny Chesney... seriously - that's bucket list.
That's where it all started for me, in clubs and bars, and I don't ever wanna outgrow that.
I wanna have the coolest merch.
That's why I've always loved country music. Whether it's sad, pumps you up, or it's breakup songs, it's all real-life things.
I'm not the only one who has ever lost somebody; I'm not the only one who was missing somebody. That's what I love about country music, that's what I love about songwriters, is being able to put out those words, those feelings.
I want people to know that I'm not just 'Chillin' It.' I'm a real person. There's heartbreak and trials, and I hope I put that in my music.
I want people to know that I am having fun. That's the biggest compliment I can get is when people tell me I'm having a blast out there - if they only knew. I'm having the time of my life every night.
I want people to know that I appreciate every piece of music they buy and every concert ticket because that's what keeps this going. Knowing that people are coming to the shows and enjoying my music makes every long day worth it.
I wrote 'Flatliner' with Dierks Bentley in mind in 2013.
Being a big Braves fan, Turner Field would be cool to play a show at.
I went to a small high school in - down in south Georgia. Terrell Academy is the name of it.
You don't have a voice yet when you first come out. So even though I knew I had some deeper songs, my first album had to be about the tempo and the fun.
I get plenty of credit out on the road.
Sometimes, you want to write how you feel, but making people have fun, that's part of it, too.
Having Dierks Bentley on a song is one of the coolest things I've ever gotten to experience. For one, him agreeing to do a song with me but two, getting to share that moment in the studio.
It was an incredible experience performing for the members and attendees at the Diamond Resorts Invitational; it was such an impressive event, and I was honored to be a part of it.
Country's more than about what the music sounds like. It's what you're saying and who you are as a person.
I've stopped questioning things and how things work.
I'm hands-on with everything. I approve the designs of everything we do because that's my brand that people are buying. I want it to look good.
If an artist can take two minutes to tweet a fan and make his or her day, why wouldn't they take advantage of that?
No matter how the day's going, when I get out there on that stage, it makes it all all right.
I was the kid jamming out to the songs on the radio, and now there's hopefully kids out there jamming out to my music.
Life ain't about just 'Chillin' It.' I've learned that.
When I'm getting a chance to do my job or make somebody's day, and be on stage where I love, and see all the fans having fun, you can't help but smile.
All I've ever wanted is a nice truck, and that's what I got.
When something hits you, you better go with it.
Georgia Southern was such a big part of me getting my start.
I wanted to get better at writing, so I knew I needed to move to Nashville.
Even though I lost my dad in just a tragic, sudden way, there are so many more stories that are so much worse.
When I say I'm living the dream, I honestly don't know how it can get any better.
If one person feels the way I felt when I first fell in love with country music, then I'm doing my job.
We titled it, 'You Should Be Here,' for one, because just how special that song is, and I think it kind of sets the tone for this album. I've established that I like to have fun, but this is a little more than that - this album has got some fun stuff, but it's also got topics that I haven't gotten a chance to touch, and I'm so excited about it.
'You Should Be Here' came from a real place. I lost my father... it was right when I was getting my record deal. There's just been so many moments that he hasn't been here for. It's kind of the reason I wrote the song.
On my tour, either they're coming to see me, or they're not.
Before I ever had my record deal, I just had a publishing deal over at Sony ATV. I had that title, 'Flatliner,' and just the idea of a girl stopping everybody's heart - just kind of a fun idea.
I always say, 'If it looks good on a T-shirt, it would probably be a pretty cool title or cool song.'
If I start putting too much pressure on myself, that's something my mama is there to help with.
I know how music makes me feel; I know how it affects my life.
