SUMMER CHALLENGE
Dustin Lynch opening for Brad Paisley; Verve Pipe to play zoo
Dustin Lynch knows how to have fun. Aside from his country music, the 32-year-old rising star looks for ways to challenge himself.
That’s why he signed on for an episode of the popular Spike TV series “Lip Sync Battle.”
“It’s one of my dad’s favorite shows,” Lynch says with a laugh. “They reached out to me. I jumped at the chance to be on the show, though I didn’t know how to do choreography or lip-sync to Ludacris. It was a fun challenge.”
On the episode, Lynch faced off against fellow rising country star Cassadee Pope. On the show, he lip-synced to Ludacris’ “What’s Your Fantasy” and Lou Bega’s hit “Mambo No. 5.” He eventually took home the coveted championship belt.
“It was an experience that I would do again,” he says. “I’m always looking to challenge myself in everything that I do.”
His latest challenge is an opening slot on Brad Paisley’s current tour. He will be performing on July 14 at Isleta Amphitheater. See Page 20, to read more on Lynch and his coming album.
It’s been 20 years since The Verve Pipe burst into mainstream with its single “The Freshmen.” The band is still together and making music. I caught up with vocalist Brian Vander Ark to talk about music and how he’s evolved personally and professionally. The band will perform at the ABQ BioPark Zoo on July 14. To read more, see Page 23.
Attention, history buffs. Casa San Ysidro in Corrales opens up for free during its Second Saturday series. It’s a chance to get a tour and take in a lecture. To read more, see Page 13.
Staff writer Rozanna Martinez has the details on two Native dances happening this weekend. One is the Taos Pueblo Pow Wow, and the other are the dances held at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center. To read more on both, see Page 12.
Of course, summer is in full swing and the latest blockbuster opens this weekend with “Spider-Man: Homecoming.” To read the review,
Life is good for Dustin Lynch. He’s on tour with Brad Paisley, and his latest single, “Small Town Boy,” is quickly rising on the country charts.
With all of this success, Lynch still finds time for the gym.
“I’m almost done with the album,” he says while taking a break from working out. “We’re working on our last song. It’s been three years in the making. It feels good. I’m so consumed by the music I write and record. I’ve been over-thinking things and splitting hairs. Finishing the album is like a final exam.”
The 32-year-old is a rising star in the country music scene.
Since his self-titled debut in 2012, Lynch has been cranking out hit after hit, as well as remaining on the road for the majority of that time.
He has racked up the singles “Cowboys and Angels,” “She Cranks My Tractor,” “Wild in Your Smile,” “Where It’s At (Yep, Yep), “Hell of a Night” and “Mind Reader.”
His two latest singles, “Seein’ Red” and “Small Town Boy” will be on his new album and have cracked the Top 15 on country radio.
The two singles showcase Lynch’s range in music.
“Seein’ Red” is uptempo and has a country-rock feel, while “Small Town Boy” is more laid-back and mellow.
“To have a song like ‘Small Town Boy’ at the start of summer and being our biggest hit is great,” Lynch says. “We’re starting to see it take off live. The energy is present; the timing for the song worked out perfectly.”
Lynch says the two singles give a glimpse of the direction of the third album.
He says that while the singles are different, there is a theme.
“The album is really about love and a party,” he says. “Our lives are mostly about love. Making love or falling out of love and all the emotions that surround that process. In between all the love, it’s the parties that help take us from place to place. It’s a big part of life.”
Because Lynch has been on the road nonstop, the majority of the album was written on a tour bus.
He got to write a lot while opening for Luke Bryan and then Florida Georgia Line.
“A lot of the music was inspired the amazing shows I was part of,” he says. “I’ve been a fan of music all my life, and I feel like everything is coming together for me. I’m growing into a confident artist. And I get to share it all with the fans.”