{"id":18558,"date":"2019-09-18T05:00:16","date_gmt":"2019-09-18T11:00:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.cmt.com\/news\/?p=1812021"},"modified":"2019-09-18T05:00:16","modified_gmt":"2019-09-18T11:00:16","slug":"jimmie-allen-brings-best-shot-to-cmt-on-tour-this-fall","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/krky\/music-news\/jimmie-allen-brings-best-shot-to-cmt-on-tour-this-fall\/","title":{"rendered":"Jimmie Allen Brings \u201cBest Shot\u201d to CMT on Tour This Fall"},"content":{"rendered":"<div><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/cmt.mtvnimages.com\/uri\/mgid:ao:image:cmt.com:681908?width=1200&amp;height=675&amp;.jpg\" class=\"ff-og-image-inserted\"><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"byline\">by <span class=\"author\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.cmt.com\/news\/author\/shelburnec\/\" title=\"Posts by Craig Shelburne\" rel=\"author\">Craig Shelburne<\/a><\/span> <span class=\"date\">19m ago<\/span><\/span> <\/p>\n<p>Jimmie Allen may or may not joking that you can expect anything from drum lines to Tarzan swings when he\u2019s warming up the crowds for Michael Ray this fall with <a href=\"http:\/\/cmtontour.cmt.com\">CMT on Tour<\/a>. But one thing\u2019s for sure \u2014 you\u2019ll hear his breakout No. 1 hit, \u201cBest Shot.\u201d In this interview with CMT.com, Allen talks about switching tempos at the last minute, staying focused on melodies, and getting sick of his own song \u2014 in the best possible way.<\/p>\n<p><strong>CMT: Let\u2019s talk about \u201cBest Shot.\u201d Why did you choose that song to introduce yourself to country fans?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>JA: When \u201cBest Shot\u201d was first written and the label heard that song and another song called \u201cBlue Jean Baby,\u201d they put \u201cBlue Jean Baby\u201d out. And it did well on socials, I think it made the viral chart of all genres. But the head of radio promo heard \u201cBest Shot\u201d and he was like, \u201cMan, there\u2019s just something about this song that connects.\u201d There\u2019s an underlying message and melody, and it feels like the hook of the song really connects with people. That song changed my life. I wouldn\u2019t be here talking to you without it. [laughs]<\/p>\n<div class=\"deferred_content\">Embedded from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/25ys0vc4tTI?feature=oembed\">www.youtube.com<\/a>. <noscript class=\"deferred_content\" data-deferred-info=\"{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;iframe&quot;}\"><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/25ys0vc4tTI?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\">[embedded content]<\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><\/noscript><\/div>\n<p><strong>At what point did he hear that song? I\u2019ve read that it used to be an up-tempo, rock \u2019n\u2019 roll song<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Yeah, he heard it towards once we got it done. When we first wrote this song and did a first demo of it, it was up-tempo. It was kind of like Matchbox20 meets FGL. And then we played it at the Bluebird Caf\u00e9, just acoustic, and my manager, Ash [Bowers], was like, \u201cWhat song is that?\u201d \u201cIt\u2019s \u2018Best Shot,\u2019 the song I sent you.\u201d He said, \u201cYou didn\u2019t send me that song!\u201d I said, \u201cYeah I did!\u201d He said, \u201cYou did not send me that song!\u201d And we went back and forth for two minutes\u2026<\/p>\n<p>So, we recorded it, and originally it had a little bit more instrumentation in it, and then Ash and the other producer, Eric [Torres], were sitting back like, \u201cMan, let\u2019s pull it back a little more. Just really focus on the lyric and the vocal. Have the music sit back and just be a bed for the lyric and the vocal to lay on.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Did you have to be convinced?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>No, I was a fan of it.<\/p>\n<div class=\"deferred_content\">Embedded from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/OVdemLamwHs?feature=oembed\">www.youtube.com<\/a>. <noscript class=\"deferred_content\" data-deferred-info=\"{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;iframe&quot;}\"><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/OVdemLamwHs?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\">[embedded content]<\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><\/noscript><\/div>\n<p><strong>Do you really focus on melodies when you write?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Yeah, melody to me is important. To me, the melodies are more important than the lyric, because you can have a great lyric over a melody that people don\u2019t care about, and they won\u2019t listen. But the melody is the first thing people hear, and when people say, \u201cYou know that song?\u201d they don\u2019t sing a lyric, they go, \u201c<em>uh-dun-dun-dun-uh<\/em>,\u201d they do the melody. Because that\u2019s the part that they get stuck in their brain first, and then I feel like once you get a cool melody then you can put a great lyric over top.<\/p>\n<p><strong>How did you pick up playing guitar?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I got tired of paying somebody $50 to play it! My first instrument, I grew up playing the drums, I was a drummer. I played trumpet in band. I played harmonica, I played piano. And I got to Nashville and I would play these writers rounds and I would have to pay someone $50 to play, and I\u2019m like, \u201cYeah I\u2019m over that.\u201d So I went and bought a guitar and figured out how to play my songs.<\/p>\n<p><strong>You just sat down and learned it?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Pretty much, I just sat down and tried to figure it out. I was like, well if I put my fingers on somewhere eventually it\u2019ll start to sound good. So that\u2019s what I did.<\/p>\n<div class=\"deferred_content\">Embedded from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/NiXjY8aL1XM?feature=oembed\">www.youtube.com<\/a>. <noscript class=\"deferred_content\" data-deferred-info=\"{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;iframe&quot;}\"><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/NiXjY8aL1XM?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\">[embedded content]<\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><\/noscript><\/div>\n<p><strong>When \u201cBest Shot\u201d was new, and the more shows you played, the more people would sing it back to you. What\u2019s that experience like, watching a song catch on?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s great man, because you see all your hard work and sacrifices start to make sense. There\u2019s so many nights when I\u2019m like, \u201cWhy am I doing this? I\u2019m missing out on so much.\u201d I\u2019ve missed weddings, anniversaries, and funerals, and birthday parties, and time with my son\u2026 and you\u2019re like, \u201cWhy am I doing this?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>And then you have those moments where you play an arena and ten thousand people are singing your song back to you. And then you get messages from people saying, \u201cHey, this song saved my marriage. My husband\u2019s away in the military, and we type the lyrics back and forth and it feels like he\u2019s next to me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Things like that you realize, \u201cYou know what? I\u2019m sacrificing my time from the personal side, but this song is doing so much for so many other people.\u201d And it\u2019s great in life to sometimes sit back and relax, just everything\u2019s not about us. I feel like, as humans first, I feel like my first job is to serve. You know, how can I help other people? And it\u2019s been great, seeing a song do that.<\/p>\n<div class=\"deferred_content\">Embedded from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/GVrEpcc_wos?feature=oembed\">www.youtube.com<\/a>. <noscript class=\"deferred_content\" data-deferred-info=\"{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;iframe&quot;}\"><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/GVrEpcc_wos?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\">[embedded content]<\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><\/noscript><\/div>\n<p><strong>Have you always felt that way, that need to serve?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Oh when I was a kid, yeah man.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Where did that stem from?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Probably my grandma. I grew up in church, and just overall, some of my favorite people ever were servants, and servants in the word of putting other peoples\u2019 needs above themselves.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Before you had \u201cBest Shot\u201d and \u201cMake Me Want To,\u201d what was your onstage experience like? How did you get onto shows and playing?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Luckily, before I had my deal, I was in a few different bands and we did colleges. I still didn\u2019t have a deal but I signed with UTA, United Talent Agency. And I might be biased, but to me they\u2019re the best talent agency out there. They put in extra effort in caring about their artists, and being honorable when it comes to relationships they built with festival buyers and music venues.<\/p>\n<div class=\"deferred_content\">Embedded from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/J8RWY768LPY?feature=oembed\">www.youtube.com<\/a>. <noscript class=\"deferred_content\" data-deferred-info=\"{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;iframe&quot;}\"><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/J8RWY768LPY?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\">[embedded content]<\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><\/noscript><\/div>\n<p>They go out and work for you. I know friends where they said they don\u2019t always make outgoing phone calls where they\u2019re at, but my agency every day they\u2019re calling. They don\u2019t just sit back and wait for people who want Jimmie Allen. I think that\u2019s kind of a little narcissism \u2014 I\u2019m nowhere near the level where people really care about what I\u2019m doing.<\/p>\n<p>So I feel like it\u2019s our job, and everybody on my team, to go out and try to implant ourselves in different areas where we\u2019ve been trying to get booked. So UTA every day is making phone calls to see, \u201cCan Jimmy play here? Can he do this TV show?\u201d From my booking agent to my publishing team to my management to my label, they\u2019re always finding ways to spread me around until people get sick of me.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Yeah, but you want that. You want people to get sick of you, so to speak.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Yeah, my dream was\u2026 I used to hear songs on the radio and be like, \u201cMan, I\u2019m sick of that song.\u201d And I finally got it with \u201cBest Shot.\u201d I used to get tweets like, \u201cJimmie Allen, I love you but I\u2019m so tired of hearing \u2018Best Shot\u2019 on the radio.\u201d I was like \u201cYes! Now I\u2019ve got it, I\u2019ve made it! It happened!\u201d<\/p>\n<p> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.cmt.com\/news\/1812021\/jimmie-allen-brings-best-shot-to-cmt-on-tour-this-fall\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">via:: CMT News<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>by Craig Shelburne 19m ago Jimmie Allen may or may not joking that you can expect anything from drum lines to Tarzan swings when he\u2019s warming up the crowds for Michael Ray this fall with CMT on Tour. But one thing\u2019s for sure \u2014 you\u2019ll hear his breakout No. 1 hit, \u201cBest Shot.\u201d In this [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[55],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-18558","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-music-news"},"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-06-13 14:35:57","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"KRKY Ski Country","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/krky","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/krky\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18558","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/krky\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/krky\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/krky\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/krky\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18558"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/krky\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18558\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/krky\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18558"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/krky\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18558"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/krky\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18558"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}