Brad Paisley Surprises Fans With Whiskey Jam Performance, Celebrates Release Of ‘Tacklebox – Disc 1’

Brad Paisley gave some lucky fans an unexpected treat on Monday night when he made a surprise appearance at the weekly Whiskey Jam event, taking over the stage at Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row bar on Nashville’s Broadway with a 45-minute set.

Since 2011, the free concert series has become a popular destination for rising stars to showcase their talent among the Nashville music scene, but every so often a major act like Paisley will unexpectedly pop up on stage.

That’s exactly what happened when Paisley made an appearance and prompted a massive sing-along as he delivered a few fan favorites from his catalog. Additionally, he used the opportunity to celebrate his just-released project, Tacklebox – Disc 1.

One standout moment from the night came when Paisley welcomed songwriter and country artist David Lee Murphy to the stage for a performance of their new collaboration, “Hi Ho Silverado,”which the pair co-wrote with Clint Lagerberg. They kept the energy high by following it up with a performance of Murphy’s 1994 hit, “Dust On The Bottle.”

The surprise set took place just a few days after the release of Paisley’s new 13-track collection, giving him the chance to properly celebrate among fans.

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The West Virginia hitmaker has described the project as being “full of hooks, country music hooks,” which ultimately inspired its title. Inside, listeners can expect to find songs stemming from decades of songwriting.

It features a mix of songs dating back to the early years of his career that were never recorded or released until now, as well as newly written tracks inspired by that classic era of country music. Paisley taps into the sounds of acts like Alan Jackson, Brooks and Dunn, and Alabama while also offering 80s-influenced productions reminiscent of those by George Strait, Garth Brooks, and more. 

“In this digital age, I have every song I’ve ever written at my fingertips,” said Paisley. “There was such freedom in rediscovering the songs for ‘Tacklebox,’ the new ones we wrote, and the order we released them. They came from or were written about a nostalgic time period, a style of writing, and a sound. We wanted to give listeners that special feeling of playing a vinyl album or CD all the way through, if you listened to it top to bottom.” 

Fans first got a taste of the project on May 11, with additional songs arriving over the following two months. Now, Tacklebox – Disc 1 is officially complete, with the final three tracks rounding out the collection: “Who Knew,” “Tell Them Your Life Story” and “It’s Still Goodbye.”

Brad Paisley will soon take the new music on the road when his “Brad Paisley Live” Tour launches on Aug. 27. Joining him throughout the run are special guests Jake Worthington, Charles Worsham, Hannah Harper, Laci Kaye Booth, The Band Loula and Mackenzie Carpenter.