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Eli Young Band wanders into crossover country
By John Benson
There’s no doubt one of the songs of this summer is Andy Grammer’s “Honey, I’m Good,” which is ubiquitous on pop radio.
If the Eli Young Band has its way, that success will also include country radio with the recent release of a collaborative version of the dance tune that already boasted hints of the Music City.
“When the offer came across the table, we jumped on it,” said Eli Young Band bassist Jon Jones, calling from Denver. “It’s a song we all really liked: how it really had a country feel for being a pop song. Andy talked about how one of the major pop stations told him they didn’t want to play it because it was a country song. The program director told him, ‘We don’t play hoedown songs.’ And now it’s No. 1.”
While there’s plenty of history regarding crossover pop and country songs, it’s definitely a new day in Nashville. The sea change of sorts took place a couple of years ago when Florida Georgia Line watched its Nelly remix of “Cruise” become a top 10 pop radio hit.
Jones agreed, “There have been a lot of songs that have crossed over from country to pop, rock or adult contemporary, but we couldn’t think of anything that crossed over the other way. “In some ways, it’s new territory because it was a pop song first and it just happens to really lend itself to country, but the genre right now is really wide open and more accepting more than ever.”
Also, it doesn’t hurt that the well-established Eli Young Band is the one helping to break new ground. The Texas-based outfit is viewed as a rising star in country music based off the success of hits “Crazy Girl,” “Even If It Breaks Your Heart” and “Drunk Last Night.”
The latter track was the lead single of the group’s latest effort, 2014’s “10,000 Towns,” which not only hit No. 1 on the Billboard country albums chart but was Top 5 on the Billboard 200.
Jones said the band is already looking ahead to its next full-length effort. He hinted a subtle stylistic digression is in the works. Fans looking for a sneak preview of sorts can check out the band’s recently released EP “Turn It On.”
“Our goal on this next record is going to be a bit of going back to our roots to our independent days with songs that have more of a pop sensibility to them,” Jones said.
In the meantime, the Eli Young Band is traveling the nation as an opener for Toby Keith. The tour comes through our area for shows Sunday at Blossom Music Center and Sept. 26 at First Niagara Pavilion.