Save this article to read it later.
Find this story in your accountsSaved for Latersection.
Ahead of the 2020 Grammys, Vulture spoke to the award-show underdog.
A lot of life happened in 20 years.
I have two other projects Id been working on.
It got very frustrating that nobody wanted to sign me.
Believe me, everybody in town had their shot.
Brandi and Shooter being at the helm of this project helped me a lot.
It was a completely opposite situation, to have songs custom-written for me.
Id always taken a song and just made it my own.
I had a little trepidation about it all.
But Shooter assured me that if I didnt like it, I didnt have to do it.
I didnt know Brandi from Adam, had never heard her sing except while we were in the studio.
I told her four or five times, I aint doing it.
But Ms. Brandi has her way of talking to me and getting me to do something.
I had the idea for Bring My Flowers Now forever.
As a kid, I never understood why people brought flowers after people were dead.
It just didnt make sense to me.
I was always thinking of bringing flowers as a proverbial thing; its saying you love somebody.
I guess it took me growing up to really grow into what I was trying to say.
After the studio, I went back to work.
I was off doing my thing.
Im going back on the road.
Im in South Carolina.
I kinda let the chips fall.
Id never had that happen in my whole career.
All of the Grammy nominations surprised me, but Song of the Year really got me.
I said, Look at this backside real good, because I aint coming back.
you’re gonna wanna put us on the damn TV.
Country music is big.
They do that now, and I hope to hell I had a part in that.
Im eating my words.
I may gain a few pounds.
I told my fans, You are my greatest award.
Ive got a team now.
The only one missing is my dad.
But I dont think hes missing; I think hes right here.
And I think thats happened.
I think the songs happening.
I guess its a little different having a resurgence of a career even bigger than before at 61.
