Six years ago, a country boy in a baseball cap started what he affectionately called a “Farm Tour” in his home state of Georgia. The tour he envisioned would forgo arenas and stadiums in favor of fields in Southern cities across the country.
That boy is now country superstar Luke Bryan, known for mega-hit songs like “Country Girl (Shake It For Me),” “Drunk On You” and “That’s My Kinda Night.” And Wednesday night, he’s kicking off his sixth annual Farm Tour at Maple Lane Farms.
Maple Lane Farms owner Bob Schmidt explained to WBIR in an interview Sunday the concert will also serve as the farm’s grand opening for the fall season.
“We’re calling this the grand opening of our pumpkin patch and we’ve got Luke to kick it off,” Schmidt said.
Also along for the ride will be up-and-coming Nashville recording artist, Cole Swindell, who, ironically, once sold T-shirts, hats and tank tops laden with Bryan’s name and face.
“Everybody’s got their own path,” Swindell said. “I needed a job and he needed a merch guy so that’s how I went out there. But I think when I got off the road, he knew it was time. He knew I didn’t move here to sell merchandise.”
After selling his last Luke Bryan T-shirt, Swindell pursued a different job in Music City: singer/songwriter.
Swindell penned his first hit as an artist with “Chillin’ It.” The chart topper was then followed by Swindell’s latest single “Hope You Get Lonely Tonight” that went number one on the country charts Monday.
The up-and-comer has written hits such as Scotty McCreery’s “Water Tower Town,” Thomas Rhett’s “Get Me Some Of That,” Florida Georgia Line’s “Round Here” and Luke Bryan’s latest single, “Roller Coaster.”
“The songwriting, I feel like, was a way for me to get a record deal because I’ve been fortunate enough to have songs recorded by other artists,” Swindell said. “I’m glad I’ve been fortunate for other artists and that they’re good enough for them to record. I’m definitely thankful for that.”
Though he’s written for Bryan and many other country music “buddies,” Swindell hopes to begin his own headlining tour this winter.
“I’ve always just got up there and felt it,” Swindell said. “I love it. I like to have fun and get lost in the music out there.
“Right now there is no one selling more tickets or putting more people in the stands than Luke,” Swindell said. “It’s cool to see a show of that size that normally has to go in a stadium and people are going to get to see it on a farm … and it’s because of Luke. He gets them in there but we’re lucky to get to play in front of them.”
The show will be held at Maple Lane Farms Wednesday starting at 7 p.m. with doors opening at 5 p.m.
