Las Vegas Review-Journal (Sunday)
Back-to-back weekends with Lucas Hoge
Q+A: Renaissance man’s resume includes country singer-songwriter, Animal Planet star and construction company owner
One would be hard pressed to find a country singer-songwriter who has run his own construction company while fronting three bands; rescued more than 100 dogs each week as host of Animal Planet’s “Last Chance Highway”; and opened for the legendary George Jones at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville.
Nashville resident Lucas Hoge, who is performing at Stone y’ s Rock in’ Country at Town Square on Friday and April 1, would be that Renaissance man. The wellspoken, thoughtful and charming Hoge, who grew up in Hubble, Nebraska — population, 44; high school graduating class, 7 — answered questions over the phone Tuesday ahead of his two Las Vegas appearances:
You’re at Stoney’s Rockin’ Country on March 24 and April 1 here in Las Vegas, the latter for ACM Party for a Cause. Did you realize that you were going to be in Las Vegas on back-toback weekends?
Well, yes and no (laughs). I booked Stoney’s first, then the ACMs came along. I’m looking forward to both. I have some radio visits in between the dates, so I’ll be bouncing around the country. It’s going to be great.
What can fans expect in a concert by you?
It’s a high-energy concert, and musicianship is key. It showcases our talents and great songs through the years, as well as our favorite covers. It you don’t like something, just wait a minute (laughs).
Tell me about your latest single, “Boom Boom,” which is doing well for you.
It’s about to break the Top 40. When I first heard the song, I knew that I couldn’t pass it up. I had a fun time with it and shot the video in Las Vegas during The ACMs last year. We rented a 1968 Shelby Cobra from Exotics Racing and took it up to Red Rock Canyon.
How was the transition moving from the small town of Hubble, Nebraska, to Nashville?
(Laughs) It was shocking! I was right out of college, so 22 years old. But Nashville has a small-town vibe, so it was an easy transition because I had toured as a kid playing bars. But I had never been away from home that long before.
Rolling Stone in February named you one of the 10 new country artists you need to know. Is that strange when you’ve been performing for more than 15 years, if not longer, in Nashville?
Yeah, it is, but it’s nice to feel the love finally the last few years. I’ve been working for so, so long, so to get that praise from Rolling Stone, I’m super stoked.
How did you transition from Christian to country music?
I’ve been asked that a lot lately, but I have never considered myself a Christian artist. I grew up in church singing in choir, and some of my songs are faith-based, but I think ...