LONE STAR SUCCESS
Josh Ward’s profile rising after 12 No. 1 hits on Texas country radio
Josh Ward knows that hard work pays off.
That’s why he’s always on tour. Getting out on stage and performing is the best way to market himself. As a rising country singer, he’s found a niche in Texas country music.
With 12 No. 1 singles on Texas radio, Ward is beginning to feel some pressure.
His latest single, “The Devil Don’t Scare Me Anymore,” is at No. 39 on the Billboard Country Singles chart. It has already hit No. 1 on Texas radio.
In fact, every single Ward has released from the past three albums have each hit the No. 1 spot.
“You always want to do good,” Ward says. “When you have a string of successful steps, you kind of want to keep her going. It’s all just about trying to put out good music, and I can honestly say I appreciate each No. 1 song. We wouldn’t have them without the fans that come to see us.”
Ward will perform a show in Albuquerque on Saturday, Oct. 26, at the Dirty Bourbon Dance Hall & Saloon.
He is touring in support of his latest album, “More Than I Deserve,” released last year.
Ward found his voice singing gospel songs in church when he was a child. In high school, he was competing as a rider in the rodeo circuit.
That’s when he found country music through the likes of Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Merle Haggard, George Jones and George Strait.
Since then, Ward has been carefully carving out his place in music.
In fact, he has a new single coming out in a few weeks.
He’s also been working on writing new material for his next album.
“I know that getting with better writers makes you a better writer,” he says. “You want to write the best songs, and you figure out what works for you. Then you just go for it. I’ve found some writers that I work with well. I tend to get to them first.”
As Ward gets older, he’s also opened up a lot more with his writing, often getting more personal.
One example is the single “Holding You Together,” which, Ward says, wasn’t supposed to be released.
“I have this stack of songs that are only for me,” he says. “That song is an example. We put it on the record and because the song spoke to me. I was scared to share it with the world, but it was embraced by the fans.”