25 Things You May Not Know About Josh Thompson

It's hard to believe that Josh Thompson hit the country music scene with his debut album, 'Way Out Here,' only eight months ago. Throughout 2010, the Wisconsin native has been creating quite a stir in country music with both of his Top 20 singles, 'Beer on the Table' and 'Way Out Here.' His latest single, 'Won't Be Lonely Long,' is also well on its way to becoming another big hit for the country newcomer.

Josh began the year opening for Eric Church on the Jagermeister tour, then spent his summer on the road with Brad Paisley's H2O World tour, only to jump right into Hank Williams Jr.'s Rowdy Friends tour with Jamey Johnson and Colt Ford. The Boot caught up with the singer-songwriter on a rare spare minute in between tour stops for a candid one-on-one chat about his pet peeves, career dreams, what turns him on and several more little facts you may not know about Josh Thompson.

What's on your 'bucket list'?

I'd like to see Alaska ... really see it. I'd like to camp out in the backwoods for a couple of weeks. And I'd love to take a tour overseas and do everything – Germany, Ireland, Greece – see it all.

What is your favorite smell?

This is going to be a really weird answer, are you ready for it? I love the smell of skunks. [laughs] I don't know why. I guess it's like smell memory. Every time I smell it, it brings me back to when I was camping with my grandpa and my dad. It brings me back to one of my favorite times in life. When I smell a skunk, I love it.

What is your must-have tour accessory?

Coffee! I'm definitely going to need that on a daily basis.



What are some things you cannot live without?

I can't live without music or my family. I love my family. And air. [laughs] And my guitar.

What is your favorite celebrity perk?

Being on tour with guys like Brad and being able to watch their shows from backstage or wherever I want; getting that access to guys that you really grew up listening to and being able to mingle with those guys. That's the coolest thing.

What is something you collect?

Old records. It's all country at this point.

When you have a rare day off from the road and you're home in Nashville, what do you like to do?

If there's nothing going on like fishing or hunting, or maybe I've got some oil to change, probably clean my room. Other than that, I try to book a writing appointment.

What is something that stresses you out?

TV cameras. I'm trying [to get used to them]. I'm getting there.

What is your phobia?

Venomous snakes.

What is your biggest pet peeve?

Lazy people.

What are you most comfortable wearing?

Jeans, boots and a t-shirt. Those are easy.

What is the first thing you have to do in the morning when you wake up?

Go back to bed! [laughs] I have to brush my teeth in the morning. I have to. Then I drink some coffee and make my breath smell nasty again.

What do you keep under your bed?

Under my bunk on the bus, I don't have anything ... besides my road manager! Under my bed at home, I have a tent, a shotgun and a lot of other stuff. It's like a storage unit underneath my bed. If it's something I don't want to see, I just shove it under the bed. If it can slide under there, it's going!

What is your favorite home-cooked meal?

My mom makes great stuffed peppers, so I need her to make that every time I come home.

What do you always have in your fridge?

Orange juice.

What is your favorite late-night snack?

I usually don't eat late at night, but it would be whatever I had for dinner. I'm a huge leftovers guy. I love them. If I'm hungry, I usually tear up whatever it was I had a couple of hours ago.

What is the first thing you notice about a woman?

I guess it would be a bunch of things. Obviously visually stimulating. [laughs] Can I say that? And the way they smell. Girls smell so good.

What is your biggest turn on?

Probably a girl that's not afraid to get dirty, and by that I mean doing things outdoors.

What is your biggest turn off?

My biggest turn off is someone who's high maintenance.

What is your ideal date?

Where a girl picks me up [laughs], and takes me fishing in her boat!

What is something that you've had forever that you never plan to get rid of?

The first gun that my dad bought me. I don't think I would ever get rid of that. I have it in Wisconsin.

How do you stay looking great and in shape out on the road?

[laughs] I've never heard anybody tell me that I look great, so thank you! I appreciate that! With not a whole lot of time to work out, the main thing I do is really try to watch what I eat. By not eating a box of Twinkies, but maybe having some salmon or a salad [laughs] you can ward off a lot of unpleasantness that way. I don't really like Twinkies that much anyways, so we're good. [laughs]

When was that moment you knew that this was the career choice for you?

I don't know if it was an exact moment; it was a gradual process. I started playing guitar, and then I started writing and then I started playing shows. It just started to become more than just a hobby. Once I was playing live and writing more songs and couldn't live a day without touching a guitar, I knew that I wanted to make this my life. I was going to do what I could to make that happen. It was a gradual five-year process. [laughs]

When is the moment when you will feel you have "made it" in country music?

That's a good question. I'm not the kind of person that ever gets comfortable. I'm very grateful for everything that has happened, but I don't look at something and say, "Oh cool, I have nothing left to do now." Some people think that when you play the Opry that you've made it, or when you get your first No. 1 [song], or when you get on a tour bus. There are a lot of different steps to making it. I think in some respects I have, but I have a long way to go personally and business wise. There's no need in getting cocky even if you're good at whatever it is that you do.

What is your biggest weakness?

I guess that means something that I can't resist. Music would be my biggest weakness. There's no break for me with music. Whether I'm writing it, playing it, singing it or listening to it, it's a constant thing that I can't really go without.