Drake White on Playing Live: ‘I Feed Off the Crowd’

Whether opening for Little Big Town or Zac Brown Band, or playing solo shows on his "days off," Drake White is happy to be onstage. The big crowds, he tells The Boot, are "a very educational experience," but the "Livin' the Dream" singer doesn't change much of his show whether he's playing before a few hundred fans or a few thousand.

"That’s what I’ve done since Day One," White concedes. "I’ve just been encouraged to be myself, encouraged to go out there and play music and don’t hold anything back. That swagger and that comfortability, it comes from time -- time and hanging out; hanging out on a lot of stages and having my great band.

"The crowd’s a big part of that, too, because I feed off the crowd. There’s not two shows that are the same, because that’s dependent on the crowd and what the crowd wants," he continues. "I think there’s a lot of psychology that goes into reading crowds and reading people and giving them what they want, and then being selfish sometimes and giving them what you want. The push and pull of that is kind of what keeps everything alive.

"I love performing live; that’s what I’ll always have and what I’ll always do," White adds. "I love the studio; I love writing and being in that creative space, but to get out in front of people and just be a good vibe is my passion."

One of White's goals as a performer, regardless of the size of the venue, is to pour everything he has into each show.

"If I want to go and play a show and sing this setlist or do this thing, what am I trying to accomplish with this setlist?" he shares. "What am I trying to accomplish with this chord or this lyric? [I just try to] think a little bit more about what I’m trying to do and really have a goal set in mind.”

White is currently out on the road with ZBB, on the group's Black Out the Sun Tour. A list of all of his upcoming shows is available on his website.

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