Joel Crouse Looks Ahead to ‘Swift’ Summer

Even if he weren't turning 21, country newcomer Joel Crouse is looking forward to a great summer. Starting May 28, the Massachusetts-raised singer will join Taylor Swift's Red Tour.

"My manager called me and told me we're going to be doing 16 stadium dates with Taylor Swift," Josh tells the Boot. "The cool thing is we get to end it in July with two shows in Gillette Stadium, in Foxboro, Mass. That's home."

While out with Taylor, Crouse will turn 21 on June 14. "I will be in Toronto. You can drink at 19 there anyway, so it's a little anti-climactic."

Crouse, who has yet to meet Swift, has already figured out the perfect birthday present Taylor could give him: to sing a duet on stage together. "I really love her tune 'Enchanted' from 'Speak Now.' It's a great song, really just emotional and awesome."

The best part about the tour will be putting together a full band, says Crouse: "I had a band in high school, but when I moved to Nashville, I switched to acoustic, so finally getting the band back together and playing stadium dates is going to be awesome."

Crouse's album debut, produce by Jamie Houston, is set to come out on Toby Keith's Show Dog Universal label this summer. He co-wrote all the tracks on the album, and many of them have special meanings, including "Even the River Runs," which he co-wrote with Jamie Houston and Craig Wiseman, best known for writing Tim McGraw's "Live Like You Were Dying." "My father's a pastor and he sat me down one day and he says, 'If you're serious about music, you're going to have to go to Nashville.' The song's about why are you even staying here because even the river runs out of town."

He's also partial to "Why God Made Love Songs." "It's about how much I love music and just how much songs can bring you back to a certain time."

In the meantime, Crouse relishes hearing his Top 40 debut single, "If You Want Some," on the radio even when it comes at odd moments. "I was working out and I'm listening to Spotify and it comes on and I'm like, 'I don't know if I should keep working out to it, let the earbuds fall out?' This is just kind of awkward. Am I going to work out to my own music? It was just crazy."