With all of the Country fun in the sun already underway, we had a chance to talk with "If I Were Rock & Roll" singer Chase Rice just ahead of his headlining performance on the Sunset Stage at Tortuga Music Festival in Ft. Lauderdale, FL.
LISTEN NOW: Chase Rice talks with Audacy's TC & Dina B ahead of Tortuga Music Festival
This year's Tortuga Music Festival is taking place April 8 through 10 on Ft. Lauderdale Beach, and this is Chase's third time performing at the annual gathering. This time, however, he brought his four-legged pal Jack, a "beach dog," Chase insists, so he'll be right at home too while visiting sunny Florida this weekend.
Jack's name, just to help Chase out, was originally going to be "Tanka," but that elicited thoughts of Tonka truck toys rather than the Native American word for buffalo or bison (Tatanka), which he originally intended. That, of course, is a reference to the bison that Chase owns, which would inevitably lead into another story he would then need to explain. "I'd rather just not go down that road," Chase says. "That's Jack. He's cool."
The last time Chase performed at the festival, Dina B remembers seeing Chase's brother taking photos with fans, who mistakenly thought he was Chase backstage. The singer doubled down saying his brother has done it numerous times before, and will probably do it again tonight.
"He's told me some stories," Chase admits. "He's like, 'dude, I don't know what's going on with your people, but they can't figure anything out.' I'm on stage playing, and people were coming up to him thinking it's me... I don't understand that one." Although, he believes his brother does it on purpose sometimes. "He wears the hat, he wears the dog tags, he does the whole thing."
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Looking to the future, Chase says he's working on a new album that will be available later this year, recording the entire project in his home with themes reflecting "where I am right now in life," he says. Adding, "I've had a good career figuring it out, and now this one will be the first where I figured it out."
"To me, it's the best music I've ever put out and I don't know if people are gonna agree with that, but it's not like anything you've heard from me before," he says.
Check out Chase's full interview with TC & Dina B above, and stay tuned for continuing coverage from the 2022 Tortuga Music Festival right here on Audacy.
Browse and favorite more of our all-new Country stations like Audacy New Country, Tailgate Crashers, Jake Owen's Tiki Tonk, Country Edge, and Katie Neal's Leading Ladies for more of the best from the female side of Country music.
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