Chase Matthew Reflects on Humble Beginnings After Scoring His First No.1 Hit
The rising star looks back on RVs, sprinter vans, and old trucks as he celebrates a milestone year.
Chase Matthew; Photo Courtesy of Chase Matthew
Days after earning his first-ever chart-topping single with “Darlin’,” Chase Matthew is taking a moment to look back on his journey and reflect on just how far he’s come since he first set out to chase his dreams.
In a candid new Instagram Story, the rising star opened up about the grind, the growth, and the gratitude that have shaped his career, sharing a powerful reflection from the front seat of his tour bus.
““Don’t forget where you came from. I do a lot of thinking in the front seat of this tour bus. Every time I sit in this seat I think about the drive and the passion I had for any performance I could find,” he began.
The Tennessee native went on to reflect on the many stages of his career, from the early days of hustling show to show driving himself around in his old truck, to now traveling the country on a tour bus.
“Before these buses I had an RV. Before that, a sprinter van. Before that, an old retired school bus. Before that, an old Chevy high top van. Before that, it was my old Dodge Ram pulling a trailer,” he explained. “From the outside looking in you might see a big Prevost bus with my face on the side. But behind the glass is still the same guy with the same passion and love for music and performing.”
In closing, Matthew shared that no matter what he was traveling in, and despite the success, fame, and comfort that come with life on a tour bus, the music has always been at the heart of it all.
“I would have pulled that trailer with the Dodge truck till the day I died… hell, I was going to die for the music anyways. You don’t do it for the buses, you do it for the love of sharing music,” he wrote.
2025 has been an incredible milestone year for Chase Matthew. He earned his first No.1 single, toured the world with Keith Urban, headlined some of the biggest shows of his career, and is now making waves with “All My Exes,” his duet with Lauren Alaina.
His current Holdin’ It Down Tour runs through early December and his 2026 schedule is already filling up with dates planned around the U.S. and Australia.
Lauren Jo Black is a longtime country music journalist, editor, host, and media personality whose work has helped shape the conversation around country music for nearly two decades. As the current Editor-in-Chief of Country Now, she has become one of the genre’s most respected voices, interviewing hundreds of country music’s biggest stars, including Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and countless others. Over the course of her career, Black’s written work and interviews have reached billions of country music fans worldwide. A 2009 graduate of the University of Central Florida, Black began her career by founding Country Music Is Love, one of country music’s earliest independent digital publications, which she later sold to a major record label in 2015 before it was rebranded as Sounds Like Nashville. She then served as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief for more than two years. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, and she previously served as the Country Music Expert for Answers.com. Widely recognized for her expertise, Black has appeared as a featured guest on The Bobby Bones Show, BobbyCast, and Scripps News Morning Rush, providing insight on country music’s biggest moments. She has also hosted Country Now Live, a concert series featuring performances from artists including Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Chris Young, and more. The series has welcomed thousands of fans in person while reaching millions more online. In addition, she hosted Connect With Country Now, a weekly interview series featuring conversations with rising country stars. Throughout her career, Black has earned a reputation for discovering and championing artists long before they become household names. She has covered Luke Bryan since the early days of his career, beginning when he was writing songs for other artists, including Billy Currington’s No. 1 hit “Good Directions,” before stepping into the spotlight with his debut single, “All My Friends Say” and eventually becoming one of biggest names in music. She also gave Megan Moroney her first opportunity to walk a major red carpet as Country Now’s official guest correspondent at the 2022 CMA Awards. An interview she conducted in 2018 for Forbes.com with Luke Combs that inspired his multi-week No. 1 hit, “Doin’ This.” She has also hosted stages at CMA Fest, moderated an industry panel at Country Radio Seminar, and helped lead important conversations about the evolving landscape of country music media. Beyond journalism, Black has also used her platform to support charitable causes and highlight organizations making an impact. Through Country Now Live, she has helped raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while also advocating for animal rescue through Country Now’s Pupdate series, spotlighting organizations including MuttNation Foundation, Wags & Walks, and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Black has been recognized as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. She is a longtime member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). After nearly 20 years covering country music, Lauren Jo Black has spent her career telling the stories behind the artists, songs, and moments that have shaped the genre. Her first-ever book, Country Music Forever: An A-to-Z Celebration of Icons, Songs and Stories, brings that same passion and firsthand knowledge to the page, celebrating not only the legendary artists and timeless songs that have become the soundtrack to generations of fans, but also the places, traditions, and cultural moments that have made country music one of the most beloved genres around the world.
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