15. October 2013
Meet Brian Milson Pt. 2
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By Walter Price
Brian Milson is the name to follow in contemporary country music. Not only is he writing and recording sounds and verses in the same league as Aaron Watson, George Strait, Blake Shelton or Josh Turner but he is also using his work for the good.
Brian has recently released Nothing Grows In Shadows, a track that puts the global problem of bullying into the spotlight. (VIDEO)
Some say this is a bold move for an artist to tackle such a sensitive subject. Maybe it is, maybe it would be a better career move to launch a new single about the rockin’ party nightlife. But October isn’t ‘Rockin’ Nightlife Prevention Month’, no sir, October is National Bullying Prevention Month.
All proceeds from the “Nothing Grows In Shadows” single go directly to the cause.
Brian Milson really has it all going on…It seems like Brian was born with this career in his blood.
Here is our extended Q&A with country music’s next big star….
First things first, You’re a born and raised Odessa, TX guy. Odessa is a place you either love or hate. How was it for you growing up in an oil town/city?
Odessa was a great town to grow up in because, like any smaller towns, you had to make your own fun. There wasn’t a whole lot to do so my friends and me would play hide and seek, or capture the flag. Oil wasn’t always as prominent as it has become now because of a couple of bust periods, so that made it a really relaxed town to be in. There wasn’t an influx of out of town people, so you could go to any restaurant and see multiple people you know whereas now, you’re lucky to see one. All in all, I wouldn’t change a thing about where I was raised.
What many Europeans don’t know is how sports in Texas are like a second religion for a good portion of Texans. You played a bit, what was your sport of choice?
Yes the second religion is football in Texas. As a kid you lived for Friday night football games. I did play a little bit growing up and also played a lot of baseball, but I would have to say that my sport of choice is golf. I started playing it when I was seven and really developed a love for it. I still try to play as much as I can.
You’ve been a Willie Nelson fan since you were a young boy, sang in the school choir… did you know in school you’d like to pursue music as a living or did this career path thought come later in life?
I have always loved music, but it really turned into a passion for me my Junior year of high school. I taught myself how to play guitar with a chord book and eventually a couple of lessons. My desire to pursue it came after I had my first public gig for the Cinco de mayo festival that my high school had every year. I sang one song and got a tremendous response and I was hooked. I knew then that there was not another career choice for me.
I know it was tough at the time but how did you get started in songwriting?
Haha, this is always a fun story to tell. I wrote my first song about a breakup that I had (cliché, I know) but I never really meant for it to turn into a song I just wrote down some thoughts about it and it turned out that a couple of lines had rhymed. So then I got out my guitar and started tinkering with it and out came my first song. It was titled, “Ole What’s His Name,” because I never knew the name of the guy that she broke up with me for.
What were your thoughts when the first two songs you recorded in Nashville hit the Texas Music Chart?
The feeling that I had when I saw my name next to a number on a music chart was pure joy and fulfillment. It really made me think that there was a future for me in the music business and the fact that I had two in a row just really did wonders for my confidence as a musician and as a person.
If that wasn’t grand enough you’ve found yourself opening for some heavys and legends in the business. Would you be kind enough to tell us who and what those experiences meant to you?
I can honestly say that I am a truly blessed guy because I have gotten to share the stage with so many great acts. Each experience is unique because not every act is a “show act,” but I try to learn as much as I possibly can by watching their sets and try to incorporate what I have learned into my own show.
Now you’re out with “Nothing Grows In Shadows”, can you walk us through the process of writing and recording this track with such a strong and important message?
Well, “Nothing Grows In Shadows,” is a song written by Dallas Davidson, Rhett Akins and Doug Johnson, who are three heavyweight songwriters in Nashville. How I was able to get the song was my producer, James Stroud, called me out of the blue and said the he had found us a song so he let me listen to it over the phone and I was blown away. The song really hit home for me because I was bullied as a kid and regretfully, I did some bullying of my own which I still fell horrible about. But it truly is an honor to have my debut single be a part of something greater than my career or greater than myself and I will do my best to make as much of a positive difference on such a tragic issue.
Who would you like to work with touring, recording or writing?
I would love to tour and record a song with King George Strait, that, to me, would be the pinnacle of my career. As far as writing goes, I would love to write with Rhett Akins because I am a fan of his music. His writing has a very cool style that speaks to me as a country boy.
What are your thoughts on touring over here in Germany and/or Europe?
Touring in Europe would be an amazing experience because I know that Country Music is very big over there. It is definitely on the bucket list.
What has been the best advice someone has passed on to you about this music business?
The hands down best advice I have ever been given is not to surround yourself with “Yes People,” they can ruin your career and make you not work hard at your goal. You need that honesty to drive you and make you want to be better every day.
Besides swinging the clubs, what do you do outside of music?
I really love traveling and seeing new places with my friends and family. I am a big Texas Rangers fan. I love baseball so I am a summer guy. I also love water and being on a boat whether it be fishing or just lounging.
What’s next for you?
I have a lot of things coming up later in the year. I will be on the Fox News Channel’s Huckabee on Oct 26th to talk about my single and the campaign behind it. There will be many other appearances to go along with that but are still in the works.
What does the world need to know about Brian Milson?
I think what the world should know about me is I am a very genuine guy who wants to make genuine music to give listeners a chance to get to know me on a musical and personal level.
Thanks for talking with us today.
It has been my pleasure I really enjoyed talking to y’all. Thank you for your time.
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