Frankie Ballard Stayed True to Himself With ‘Sunshine & Whiskey’

Frankie Ballard is in the Top 15 with his newest single "Young & Crazy," a tune from his sophomore Sunshine & Whiskey album that follows on the heels of two No. 1 hits, "Helluva Life" and the record's title track. Ballard is thrilled with his success -- and he says it's because he finally figured out what works.

"I started making music the way I wanted to make it, which is a little bit different than Nashville was used to making records," Ballard tells Taste of Country. "I think that's what any artist has to do, or try to do, is just stay as true to themselves and what their sensibilities and influences [are], and the songs they have in their heart and the things they want to say. I think that's good advice for anybody."

Ballard seems to be keeping with that trend for his third album: Earlier this year, the singer-songwriter revealed that he was leaving Nashville, for a 10-day retreat of sorts, to write and record new material with his band.

“It makes me feel alive,” Ballard says. “We’re going to go in with nothing, and we’re going to come out with an album. And that’s the way all my favorite albums were made. You slept at the studio — we’re going to do that. If we feel like putting down some guitars at two in the morning, we will.”

Ballard is playing plenty of festivals and headlining shows over the summer, as well as opening for Florida Georgia Line on select dates of their 2015 Anything Goes Tour. A list of all of his upcoming shows is available on his website.

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