Lonestar’s Michael Britt Talks Boots on the Water Cruise and Upcoming EP [Exclusive]
“It’s an easy way to have a lot of fun in a short period of time,” Britt says.
Lonestar; Photo by Michael Gomez
In early 2025, iconic country music group Lonestar will join the star-studded lineup of artists on Boots on the Water, a five-day honky tonk cruise experience on the Norwegian Gem. This bucket-list-worthy vacation at sea is a country music fan’s dream, featuring performances by legendary artists and songwriters, a variety of special themed activities, and port stops in Nassau and Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas.
We caught up with Michael Britt of Lonestar to discuss all things Boots on the Water as Lonestar is no stranger to performing on cruises. Britt mentioned that he believes this will be the band’s third music cruise and although it’s been quite a while since their last one, he said they usually jump at the opportunity.
“It’s a lot of fun,” he admits. “You don’t have to really think, you don’t have to drive every night overnight, 12 hours to get to the next town. You just go to your cabin and go to sleep. It’s a pretty easy gig because I think you only usually do one or two shows and then the rest of the time you’re just out, just like a mini vacation for us.”
The guitarist says he’s especially looking forward to visiting Nassau and Great Stirrup Cay.
“Then you get the port days where you can do fun stuff. It’s just a good time. It’s an easy way to have a lot of fun in a short period of time without having to plan everything,” he explains.
In addition to Lonestar, Boots on the Water will also feature Big & Rich with Gretchen Wilson, Craig Morgan, Jo Dee Messina, Montgomery Gentry Featuring Eddie Montgomery, Pam Tillis, Little Texas, Suzy Bogguss, and Sarah Gayle Meech.
Britt says the cruise is another opportunity to connect and/or reconnect with fellow artists.
“We do shows with some of them throughout the year, like Little Texas are friends of mine and Pam Tillis, we’ve worked with her a lot in the past. Montgomery Gentry with Eddie, we’ve worked with him quite a bit lately. And Jo Dee is always great,” he points out. “I know a lot of some of the guys in her bands as well. I know we’re going to know probably about half artists or tech people on the cruise.”
When it comes to the set list, fans can expect to hear some of Lonestar’s biggest hits with a few surprises thrown in.
“Normally when we do our own headline shows, we do hour and a half, so I don’t know if it’s going to be a full hour and a half, or it may just be an hour show,” he shares. “So we’ll tend to just kind of tailor it to the length of the show and then kind of what we think the fans might want to hear if they want. And it may be different if we’re doing two shows, we may switch ’em up a little bit.”
With 10 No.1 singles, including the nine-week No.1 “Amazed,” the six-week chart-topper “I’m Already There,” and “No News,” Lonestar has quite a few hits to work into their set list. Britt realizes that it’s a good problem to have.
“We’ve had so many hits that an hour is not enough to even do all of our number ones sometimes. It’s cool that we have that problem, but we just always like to throw something in that people don’t expect,” he teases.
That’s where the group’s forthcoming new project comes in. Dropping this summer, Lonestar’s new EP, Iconic, Vol. 1, will include five tracks that pay tribute to some of the industry’s iconic female vocalists.
Recently, the group debuted their cover of the Eurythmics’ “Here Comes The Rain Again” and before that they shared a rendition of “You Make Loving Fun,” originally recorded by Fleetwood Mac. The EP will also include covers of Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep,” P!nk’s “Try,” and Cindy Lauper’s “Time After Time.”
The idea to pay homage to these legendary female vocalists came after Lonestar welcomed Drew Womack as the lead singer of the band. During their first showcase together, he started to sing “Time After Time” and it sparked an idea.
“You don’t ever hear a guy singing that song…It was a very cool version. And so that was really the start of it.”
Eventually, Britt and his bandmates each chose a song to cover and headed into the studio to record them.
“We thought, ‘Let’s just all pick a female song, rock act or rock song.’ So that’s what we did. It was so organic and natural, it was not contrived. We just thought, well, if we’re going to do it, let’s at least have a theme and then maybe the next time we’ll do a different theme and just do EPs like this.”
While cruising on Boots on the Water, Lonestar will likely perform a few songs from Iconic, Vol. 1. If Britt has anything to do with it, the Adele cover will definitely be worked into the set.
“I feel like my favorite moment in a new show is when we do ‘Rolling in the Deep.’ There’s something about the way that comes across live…It’s really good,” he says.
After celebrating their milestone 30th anniversary as a band in 2022, Lonestar is currently busier than ever, playing shows across the country throughout the year. Ultimately, Britt expresses immense pride that, despite some hardships, they’ve managed to stay together for so long.
“We’re so proud of the fact that we’re just even still here. And the fact that we did go through multiple lead singer changes, but still kept, I feel like, what is the core and the essence of the band together. And it’s not easy to do. It’s not to keep four or five people on the same page all the time,” he admits. “We’ve gone through a lot, but we’ve weathered all the storms that came at us, and I think I’m just really proud that we’re still doing what we’re doing. And I know none of us wants to stop anytime soon.”
Boots on the Water will set sail February 8-13, 2025 from Miami, FL.
While on board, fans will also have the opportunity to attend live performances and also enjoy an array of themed activities including Whiskey Tastings, The Big Game Watch Party, Panel with Agents, Managers, and Artists, a Toby Keith Tribute Show, Acoustic Mornings, Line Dancing with Boot Scoot USA, Silent Disco with Shut Up & Dance, Live Band Karaoke with Boot Scootin’ Boogie Nights, Bellyflop Contest with Jo Dee Messina, Cruise Kickoff Tailgate, Stories Behind The Songs Podcast Recording, and special Theme Nights.
In addition to the Country Music experiences on board, guests will also be able to enjoy all the amenities The Norwegian Gem has to offer, including delicious dining options, the Pool Deck with multiple hot tubs, the Gem Club Casino, Mandara Spa, Body Waves Fitness Center, Sports Court, and much more.
We’re offering fans the chance to win a trip for two to attend Boots on the Water, including an oceanview cabin for two, a $1400 travel stipend, and admission to all onboard concerts and activities click HERE to enter for a chance to win.
Fans can learn more about Boots on the Water, and reserve a cabin at www.bootsonthewatercruise.com.
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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