Brett Eldredge steps up to the plate for fans

July 14, 2016 at 12:05a.m.

Brett Eldredge is a man of his word. Like a blue-collar worker who views a handshake as a binding contract, country singer Eldredge takes his reputation seriously.

That’s why when last summer his opening gig for Darius Rucker at Blossom Music Center was postponed due to a water main break, the singer-songwriter was going to do everything in his power to play a rescheduled date even if it conflicted with his schedule.

“I don’t like to miss a show for the fans who pay their hard-earned money and look forward to the concert for months,” said Eldredge, calling from a tour stop in New Hampshire. “So when I learned I had a TV appearance with Ronnie Dunn on the rescheduled date, I was super bummed.

“I love that venue, and the only way for me to possibly make it on time was to get a on a jet and fly there straight. I made it just in time just before walking on stage. And I’ll never forget that. It was one of my favorite shows of last year.”

Such a whirlwind life has become commonplace for the 2014 CMA New Artist of the Year. His 2013 debut album, “Bring You Back,” includes three No. 1 hits (“Don’t Ya,” “Mean to Me” and “Beat of the Music”), while his 2015 sophomore album “Illinois” picked right up with the platinum momentum.

“I wanted to take the foundation of ‘Bring You Back’ and kind of grow from it, stretch out some more of my soulful and groovy influences,” Eldredge said. “This new album really did that. Also, there are a couple of left turns such as ‘Shadows,’ which is an extreme rocker.

“And ‘You Can’t Stop Me,’ a song I did with Thomas Rhett, has a totally different groove. It’s kind of retro. It’s a party atmosphere.”

What a party it’s been so far for Eldredge who watched “Illinois” debut at No. 1 on the Billboard Country Albums Chart and No. 3 on the Billboard 200, as well as yield No. 1 singles “Lose My Mind” and “Drunk On Your Love.” The album’s latest single is “Wanna Be That Song,” which is currently racing up the charts.

The track is pretty special for the Illinois native who shot the song’s music video at Wrigley Field. He debuted the clip last month at a Chicago Cubs game that included him throwing out the ceremonial first pitch and leading the crowd in “Take Me Out To The Ballgame” for the seventh inning stretch.

“It made the most sense to do the video at Wrigley Field because a lot of big moments in my life have been surrounded by that field,” Eldredge said. “I view it as my ultimate love song. I knew as soon as we wrote it and recorded it that it was going to be a giant song because it touched so many people and related to love in so many different ways.”

Eldredge will be playing his new material and all of his hits when he returns to Northeast Ohio as the opener for Keith Urban Friday at Blossom Music Center. As for another unexpected water main break at the outdoor venue, Eldredge said this time he’ll be ready.

“I’ll come with a wrench and a work belt to fix the pipe if I have to,” Eldredge said. “We’re going to make sure the show happens.”