Pat Green on New Country Artists: ‘Watching Someone Win Is Fun’

Pat Green has stayed true to his Texas roots throughout his 20-year musical career, and while the 43-year-old isn't necessarily a fan of all of the current trends in country music, he certainly isn't bitter about the success of the artists who are following those trends.

"I’m happy for them because I know in my heart what it is to make it in this business," Green tells The Boot, recalling taking his kids to see a Taylor Swift concert in Dallas, which also featured Florida Georgia Line. "My kids got into it. My daughter loved it.

"I don’t think I could ever wear a sleeveless shirt and a chain on my wallet. I would feel silly, that’s all. I just couldn’t do it. But I’m proud of them," he adds. "To put yourselves out there and open yourself up to all of the criticism that comes in this business, and then open your family up to all of that -- it’s a meat grinder, and it’s a neat thing to see people succeed.

"I love watching people win; whether I’m going to play their music 10 times in my car doesn’t mean anything," Green concludes. "Watching someone win is fun."

The tunesmith insists that there is plenty of room for all styles of music within the country genre and wishes other artists well, even if they don't perform his favorite style of music.

"My tour manager, from when I was a kid until 2008, the first 10, 15 years of my life, is now Florida Georgia Line’s tour manager," Green says. "Good for them. They’re putting on a show. There are people that get into it and sing along. Slap each other on the back, drink a beer."

Still, the singer-songwriter says that there are some newer artists that captivate him and make him want to hear more.

"Eric Church, the record with "Springsteen" on it, was the last record I identified with the entire record," Green says of Church's 2011 Chief album. "That’s the last time I went, ‘Damn, he landed on it. Like, holy moly, he landed on it' ...

"I certainly think that guys like Wade Bowen — he's another Texas guy, and I could sit there and listen to his songs all day," Green continues. "The Eli Young Band, they hit a lot of cylinders for me."

Green recently released a new single, "While I Was Away," from his upcoming Home album. Download the single on iTunes.