By Amy Goode

I have been looking forward to seeing Brantley Gilbert live for a while. But after interviewing him earlier in the week, I was even more excited about my road trip to Macon to see my first BG concert! Friday afternoon I left work early in an attempt to beat the typically nightmarish rush hour traffic that plagues Atlanta at the start of every weekend. I wasn’t very successful as I got caught in two serious traffic jams on the drive down to Macon. It seems that no matter how early I try to leave town, the traffic still catches me. Oh, well! I still made it to the venue a couple of hours before the doors opened. I met my friends Christy and Chrissie at the venue and we hung out and listened to the band doing soundcheck. Before the doors opened, Christy and I got a chance to spend a few minutes with Brantley. He was just as kind and gracious as he had been during our phone interview. We chatted about the movies that he’s been watching on the bus lately – The Hangover and Avatar, if you’re wondering. We also talked a little bit about motorcycle riding, one of his other passions besides music. After our chat we headed into the bar and claimed our spots at the front of the stage.

By the time that Brantley took the stage, the bar was packed and the place was sweltering! I’ve only been to Whiskey River one other time for a concert and it was insanely hot that night, too. I guess because there were so many people packed into close quarters. Brantley and the band started the show with “My Kinda Party” and they kept the tempo up for the first half of the show playing songs from both of his albums as well as covers of Steve Earle’s “Copperhead Road” and Sean McConnell’s “Lie Baby Lie.” It was easy to tell that Brantley was hyped up about the show! He was asking the crowd if we’d come to party and raise some hell and we confirmed his suspicions by screaming loudly every time he inquired about our mood. With the hot spotlight beaming down on the stage, it was even toastier on stage than it was in the crowd and Brantley quickly shed his black t-shirt in favor of his white wife beater.

Midway through the show, the band left the stage and Brantley slowed it down with an acoustic set. He played a medley of “The Best of Me” and “Picture on the Dashboard.” Before playing “The Best of Me,” Brantley announced that he had only met Jason Aldean a couple of times, but that Jason was his new best friend because Jason just cut two more of Brantley’s songs. I can’t wait to hear them! After the medley he played “My Kinda Crazy,” which I heard him mention in a previous interview is probably going to be the second single from the Halfway to Heaven album. He wrapped up the acoustic portion of the show with “Them Boys.”

I recently had a chance to talk with Average Joes Entertainment recording artist, Brantley Gilbert. He’s a soft-spoken Georgia boy whose recently-released second album Halfway to Heaven appeared at number one on the Billboard Heatseekers chart. The album cuts range from rockin’, like the debut single “Kick It in the Sticks,” to the softer acoustic-driven tracks such as “My Kinda Crazy” and “Saving Amy.” The album shows Gilbert’s full artistic range and his songwriting abilities, as he co-wrote each of the album’s 12 tracks. Halfway to Heaven is the follow-up to his 2009 debut album A Modern Day Prodigal Son.

We began our conversation by discussing the devastation in Nashville because of the flooding, particularly the destruction of the Grand Ole Opry House. Brantley expressed his regret at seeing such a historic place for country music under water. He mentioned that he had scheduled a trip to Nashville this week for various meetings and songwriting appointments, but it had to be canceled because of the floods. This led us to discuss how he usually schedules writing sessions and the very successful writing partners with whom he’s been able to write. In addition to making trips to Nashville to write, he writes with friends at the property that he affectionately calls “The Compound.” There’s a house on the property that’s been converted into five apartments and is home to several guys from Brantley’s band and crew. He lives in the pool house on the same property. Being in such close proximity to some of his co-writers has inspired several spontaneous writing sessions. We specifically spoke about his writing with fellow Georgia natives Dallas Davidson, Rhett Akins and Ben Hayslip. They have written some of the biggest hits currently on country radio and their most recent number one was Joe Nichols’ “Gimme That Girl.”

Brantley Gilbert will perform a night of rock-infused country songs including current single “Kick It In The Sticks” at Swainsboro JC Fairgrounds on Saturday, May 8 at 7 p.m. Gates will open at 6 p.m. Tickets $20 in advance or $25 the day of theshow for all ages. To purchase, visit www.instigatorconcert.com

Brantley Gilbert knows that tomorrow is no guarantee. Just over five years ago the talented singer/songwriter was ignoring his deepest ambition of becoming a country singer and was just going through the motions of everyday life. It wasn’t until a nearly-fatal car accident that Brantley opened his eyes, realized the importance of living each day to the fullest, and decided to pursue his love for music as a career.

Gilbert was born and raised in the small town of Jefferson, Ga, just outside of Athens city limits. It is that upbringing and small town influence Brantley credits toward allowing him to cultivate his unique sound. With well-known rock bands REM and the B-52’s having roots nearby, Brantley’s taste in music always swayed toward a rock feel, but his true-to-life testimony of heartache, trials, triumph, and success found a home in country music.

After taking the stage night-after-night with just his guitar and opening for other country artists throughout the southeast, Brantley began to notice familiar faces in the crowds. A group of believers who shared Brantley’s passion for life and music had developed, and pretty soon the following had taken-on a life of its own. Brantley quickly realized that his acoustic shows — however intimate — didn’t satisfy his audience’s thirst for his rock-infused country music. In order to meet their demand, Brantley formed a band.

“We went from these acoustic shows to a bona fide country-rock-soul show that is wide-ass open,” says Gilbert. “Even when we play a ballad it’s high energy.”

With the fans demanding new music from Brantley, he came to Nashville, Tennessee where he soon signed with Warner Chappell Publishing and began to develop music for a debut album release. One of his songs, “The Best of Me,” was recorded by Jason Aldean and earned a spot on his Wal-Mart exclusive and iTunes release (WIDE OPEN). Since, Brantley has signed a record deal with Average Joe’s Entertainment and collaborated with top-charting country act and labelmate Colt Ford to write and record, “Dirt Road Anthem,” which is currently featured on Ford’s multiple-week Top 25 Billboard album, RIDE THROUGH THE COUNTRY.

“I’ve realized that life can be very short, and everyone should take advantage of it,” he said. “If you’re gonna live, do something with it. Make it great.”

And great it is. On March 16, 2010 he released his sophomore album HALFWAY TO HEAVEN a follow-up his debut national release, A MODERN DAY PRODIGAL SON. The album peaked at #2 on iTunes Country Album Charts, and #1 on the Billboard Heatseekers Album Chart for all genres. It is currently available on iTunes and in stores nationwide.

As tour dates multiply throughout the South, Brantley’s fan base continues to expand, and like most artists these days, fans can stay updated about tour dates and news via MySpace. His page garners more than 25,000 listeners daily— a number that has brought him to the #1 spot on MySpace Music Charts for both country and southern rock.

Brantley Gilbert said, “I’m definitely looking forward to the Swainsboro show… everyone needs to buy a ticket and buckle up!” (laughs).

For more information about Brantley Gilbert visit www.brantleygilbert.com or www.myspace.com/brantleygilbertmusic. In the meantime, don’t forget to look for HALFWAY TO HEAVEN on iTunes and in stores nationwide!

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Win a copy of Halfway to Heaven from Country Music Online! Three winners will receive the new CD, Halfway To Heaven from Brantley Gilbert! Click HERE to enter!

New singer/songwriters breaking into the entertainment industry all have a story of their own. But the one behind country rocker and Jefferson, Georgia native Brantley Gilbert is hard to come by!  See the interview and performance HERE.