Jim Casey talks with singer/songwriter Russell Dickerson about growing up in Union City, Tenn., what he learned while touring with Billy Currington that’s he taking with him on his upcoming tour with Thomas Rhett, how his 2015 song “Yours” turned into a wedding hit and why making his Grand Ole Opry debut was so emotional.

Show Participants

• Russell Dickerson
• Jim Casey, NCD managing editor

Show Links & Notes

• Russell Dickerson’s website
• Watch Russell’s “Yours” Music Video
• Follow Russell on Twitter
• Follow Russell on Facebook

Choice Soundbites From Russell

“We didn’t write ‘Yours’ [as a wedding song]. We weren’t like, ‘Hey, what would they love to hear for their first dance? Perfect first dance song.’ It was just writing an honest true love song. I wrote it with two people that had seen my relationship with my wife from day one, and so it was just this super honest love song and I think that’s what connects with people, is an honest love song because when you meet that one, it changes you.”

“We are looking at a full-length [soon]. I just finished recording vocals last week for the full-length album and it is . . . it’s definitely in the same vein of that very energetic sound. There’s some fun, crazy songs, but there’s also some more serious life songs that . . . some sexy jams in there, you know. I think it’s a very accurate representation of me and my life and where I’m at right now.”

“[From touring with Billy Currington] I learned how he runs his touring business, and we’ve never been treated so well by a staff. Every person on his team was going over and above and I realize that when I have that many people on my touring staff, that that’s exactly how I will run my ship.”

“[Making my Grand Ole Opry debut] was one of the most emotional periods of my musical career because it had been a thing in my head for so long, and we found out at least a month or two before we were playing . . . I had this time to like sit with it and understand the gravity of it because it’s been a thing that I wanted to do for so long, and then as I’m standing there before they call my name to come out onstage, there’s just like tears streaming down my face and I was just like, ‘What the heck?’ I was just like crying and it was just very, very emotional. It had a lot of gravity to it.”