There’s no stopping Mark Chesnutt these days.
Even with a career that spans twenty years of hit singles and platinum albums, Chesnutt has managed to endure the ups and downs of the ever-changing music industry.
This Friday — along with Trace Adkins and Jack Ingram — the music veteran brings his traditional country sound to BorderFest at Hidalgo’s Dodge Arena.
Chesnutt is touring in support of his 13th studio album, "Rollin’ With The Flow."
The record is his most independent album to date -- not because Chesnutt is currently on an independent label, but because for the first time, Chesnutt had complete control in the studio.
The Beaumont native took the time to tell us about the changing music industry, his favorite songs and why his latest release is his most important album yet.
Can you tell me a little bit about your new album?
We released our latest album in June last year. It’s called "Rollin’ With The Flow." It’s my first album in probably about three years. I’m real proud of it. I worked almost two years on it. It finally came out. Right now, we’re on our fourth single that’s just been released and it’s called "Things To Do In Wichita."
You decided to record a cover of "Rollin’ with the Flow" What made you decide to cover that song in particular?
My manager had suggested that song years ago and I never did think it was right for me and so I fought him on it for a long time and then finally we were in the studio working on this last album and I decided to give it a shot to basically shut him up. I was tired of hearing about it. I’ve always liked the song but I didn’t think that I needed to record it. But after I started recording it, I had realized that I had grown into the song. The song fit me perfect. I’ve been in this business all these years through the fads and the changes and all that and I’m still here "rollin’ with the flow" I guess you could say.
How do you go about choosing what cover songs you want to do?
Well, the stuff that I’ve recorded in the past has mostly been somebody else’s idea. Rarely have I come up with anything I want to do except for when we did an album called "Heard it in a Love Song" a few years back. All but one song was covers. It was a bunch of songs that I’ve been singing all my life that I like to sing. It’s just something that our company wanted to put out. So we did that. But I usually don’t sit around and think of other songs to cover. I’m usually trying to look for something new. But somebody always suggests something and that’s how that happens.
How would you say your music has evolved over the years?
Well, I think the one thing that’s gotten better over the years is I’ve learned how to sing better. After all these years, I think I’ve finally kind of figured out what I can do and what I can’t do and pretty much established a style and a sound of my own. Whereas my first few albums I felt like I was trying to find something -- a niche for me. It’s basically stayed the same, but I think the quality is a lot better. My voice has, of course, matured over the 20 years but that’s the main thing for me.
What are some of your favorite songs you’ve recorded over the years?
My all-time favorite of my songs is "Too Cold At Home." It’s the song that got my career going. If it hadn’t been for that one song, I don’t know if I’d ever gotten a record deal to start with but that one song is such a classic, strong country song. I think it would’ve been a hit for anybody at the time. It is my signature song because it’s such a classic country song.
Is there anyone that you’d want to duet with that you haven’t yet?
I’ve pretty much sung with most of my heroes. I’ve done several duets with George Jones. I did one with Waylon Jennings. I’ve sung with Leann Womack. We had a record out on her first album -- a song on there called "Make Memories With Me" that I’m really really proud of. She’s one of my favorite singers. But if I could duet with Hank Williams Jr. that would pretty much rap it up for me. I love Hank Jr. I’d love to get in the studio with him. It just hasn’t happened yet.
You’ve toured overseas several times. How is touring in Europe different from touring in the U.S.?
The fans are the same. They’re the same everywhere, but the country fans really like country music over there. They really support you and they come out in big numbers and they’re all really nice fans and the one big difference is of course the food and stuff like that. It’s different but I really enjoy it. I love going to Europe so I look forward to that every chance we get. The people are just like the people here. They’re all the same. There’s rednecks in Europe too.
You’ve been in the music business for over 20 years, how has it changed?
It’s changed so much in the past 10 to 15 years and, of course, I heard the same thing when I first started. The guys that had been there long before me told me everything changed.
It changes all the time -- the way radio picks singles to play, the way they rate them, the way they chart them. The charts are smaller now.
The radio stations are owned by corporations, which makes it kind of harder to get on the radio. You can’t really establish a close relationship with a program director or a DJ and count on that to get your record played. You really have to impress the consultants. That’s different. The DJs can’t play what they like. They’re pretty much told what to play by the corporate people.
The best change that I think is you don’t really need a major record label deal anymore. You can make records a lot cheaper. The technology is different. It’s available to everybody now to make a great album or make a great CD. People can go online and listen to your music and not even listen to the radio. They can listen to the music, they can buy it without ever going to the store and that’s helped me out a lot ’cause I hadn’t been on a major label in years. I’d been on independents for a while and I still get on the radio some and people still buy my music. They still come out to the show ’cause they’re listening to me online and that’s been the best thing. Music is just so much easier to get now. Now that it ain’t free. They solved that problem but it’s real cool the way people can just go online and just buy the songs they want.
Do you think all of that has changed the songs you choose to record?
No, like I said, I haven’t changed anything. I guess it does a little bit because I don’t have to listen to an executive at a major label telling me what I need to record and what’s a hit and what’s not a hit. In other words, I don’t have to do stuff. I don’t have to record songs that I don’t love just to please somebody. I know what my fans want to hear so I can record what I want to record. So I guess that’s changed in that respect. I get to pick my own songs without listening to an A&R department.
With over 20 years in the music industry, what would you say is your greatest accomplishment?
Well, I guess getting to be friends with my heroes. I’ve got George Jones’ phone number in my cell phone. We’ve been old buddies for twenty-something years and the same way with Waylon Jennings. We were really good friends. And I’ve gotten to hang out and party with Hank Jr. several times and sing with him onstage and Willie Nelson.
I’ve met the greats before they died like Johnny Cash. I got to visit with him and I’ve been to Merle Haggard’s house. So to me, that’s a big accomplishment. It’s being accepted by heroes, being called a friend, that’s better than any award I’ll ever win. That’s what it’s all about. Any time a guy like Merle Haggard or George Jones thinks you sing pretty good and they want to be around you and they want you to be around them, that to me is the best compliment of all, it’s that and the fans’ acceptance of me and still putting up with me after all these years.
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