Scotty Hasting Talks ‘Pro Beer,’ Honoring Toby Keith’s Legacy, And Using His Platform To Help Veterans [Exclusive]

Fans first met Scotty Hasting through his debut EP, I’m America. Released last year, the project gave listeners a taste of his deeply personal storytelling and undeniable passion for the music. Now, Hasting hopes to show fans another side of his artistry with the release of “Pro Beer,” which is out now via Black River Entertainment. This song, written by Jimi Bell, Josh Jenkins, and Bryan Simpson, is all about not taking life too seriously, which is a message we can all get behind.

As a U.S. Army veteran and Purple Heart recipient, Hasting has continually used his platform to support veterans and uses music as a way to share his journey.

We caught up with him to discuss his breakout success, “Pro Beer,” tipping his hat to Toby Keith, and what’s next in his journey.

You released your debut EP, I’m America on May 3, 2024. It now has more than 4.5 million streams. How were you feeling prior to the release of that EP and how do you feel now knowing so many people have listened to it?

Prior to the release with that EP, we wanted to showcase who I am. Show people my heart and my soul. So really before the release, you know it’s terrifying to show someone all of you and to show your vulnerabilities. I have a song on there called, “How Do You Choose” about my survivor’s guilt from being in Afghanistan and my best friend being killed. It’s hard to put yourself out there, but to see that those songs and that EP, there’s a lot of those songs on that EP that are helping people. And I mean, 4.5 is incredible. I mean, that’s more than I ever thought would ever want to hear anything that I have to say. It’s incredible. It really is. It’s been insane. 

You released a new version of “Til The Last Shot’s Fired.” What does this song mean to you, and what led you to revisit it? Also, what was it like having Lee Brice and Dolly Parton join you on the track?

Oh my God, that song changed my life. After I got shot in Afghanistan, I was sitting in Walter Reed and we had an event that we were doing and while we were at these events they always played music. And this song came on and it was the first time I’d ever heard “Till Last Shots Fired,” and it was Trace Adkins’ version, and I cried like a baby. It touched a part of my heart that I didn’t even know existed and I cried for like two hours and I couldn’t stop it. And in that moment, I decided that I was going to live my life to the fullest and I wasn’t going to let my injury dictate my life, and I was going to live my life for my best friends that would never have the opportunity. 

Fast forward 10 years and I’m sitting in the office with one of the guys who wrote the song, and he’s like, ‘hey, do you want to do a version of it?’ And I was like, ‘yes, I want to do it. That song changed everything for me. I would love to do a version.’ So we did. We did a version and I put every single feeling that I was feeling when I first heard it into that song. And it was perfect and it was beautiful. Then, we listened to it for a little bit and he was like, ‘hey, this song’s amazing. It’s great the way it is, but what do you think if we reach out to some other artists and see if they want to be a part of it. And I was ‘like, man, send it to everybody. Yes. That would be so cool.’ The first artist that said he wanted to be a part of it was Lee Brice and he said, ‘man, I don’t care what part I am on this, I just want to be a part of what you’re doing and this song and what it means to you.’ And I was like, ‘yes, absolutely.’ I’ve looked up to Lee forever. I love his music. I’ve been a fan of his for so long and now he’s an incredible friend, which is wild to say. So yeah, we had me and Lee’s version and it was perfect. I thought it was perfect. Fast forward a little bit, and it’s maybe four weeks later and I get a call from my producer and he like, ‘hey, whatcha are doing?’ I was like, ‘I’m driving.’ And he was like, ‘okay.’ He said, ‘Dolly Parton wants to be on this song, what do you think?’ And I said, ‘why are you calling me? Literally do whatever she wants, it’s Dolly Parton, whatcha talking about?’ And yeah, so he was like, ‘alright, I thought that’s what you would say.’ And I was like, ‘yeah, like it’s Dolly, man.’ I got a call a little bit later, probably two weeks later after that, and I was driving again for some reason, I’m driving all the time. And he calls me and he’s like, ‘hey, I got Dolly’s version. Do you want to hear it?’ And I said, ‘what? Again? You’re making phone calls I don’t feel like you need to make, just send it to me please.’ So he sent it to me and I had to pull over on the side of the road. It was like, those feelings that I felt when I first heard it were there but it was magnified and I just couldn’t help myself. I just pulled over on the side of the road and I cried. And it wasn’t just the fact that this song means so much to me and it touches a part of my heart, but it was the fact that people like Lee Brice and Dolly Parton want to be a part of not only my song, but a part of my story and my journey. Like that means so much. These are legends that could have said no and gone on with their lives and been super successful, but they wanted to take the time to be a part of what we were doing. And that means more than anything. Honestly, that song is incredible and it’s perfect now. Still, I’ve listened to it a thousand times and every time I listen to it when Dolly comes in, I get chills every single time.

When you first heard the song “Pro Beer,” what made you want to cut it?

Oh man. So like I said, with the first EP, we wanted to show everyone my heart and my soul and who I am, and really just let them get to know me, truly know me. The only thing that we didn’t have on this EP was the fun, ‘go lucky’ side of me. And “Pro Beer” came to me and it was pitched to me and I was like, ‘man, I love this song. This is so much fun.’ With this song and with a few more songs that we’re working on moving forward, it’s kind of going to show the funner side of me and another side that the last EP kind of really didn’t focus on. I really want people to see the fun side and beer is just a fun song, man. I love it. I absolutely love it. I can’t spoil it too much, but it’s amazing. 

In a time when it feels like we’re all so divided, do you see this song as a way to bring people together and help them forget their worries for a little while? 

Yeah. I think not only this song, but as performers and as artists, it’s kind of our job to bring people together. I mean, at the end of the day, our job is to entertain people. And the best way that we can do that is by bringing everyone together and just having a good time. This song really focuses on that. It just focuses on, just for a second, forgetting about everything and just having a good time. I think that that’s so important, especially with where we’re at right now in the world. I think it’s so important to remember that, ‘man this is all we got, like if an asteroid comes and hits the earth, we’re all going down together. We need to just be together and have a good time. That’s one of the most amazing things about music period, is that it can take two people that are completely different and bring them together just for three minutes. And it’s amazing. 

You give a nod to Toby Keith in the music visualizer. How has his music influenced you, and what does that tribute mean to you?

It’s funny, the very first song I ever learned how to play, and the very first song I ever played on a stage, was “Should’ve Been a Cowboy” by Toby Keith. I’ve always loved Toby’s music and I love what he stood for. It’s even cooler now because in this industry, and I’m around people that knew Toby and really knew Toby. They talk about just how incredible of a person he was and it makes me want to just celebrate him even more. He did so much for this industry and he did so much for people around him. I just want to celebrate that and kind of celebrate my love for his music and how his song was the first song I ever learned, and it was the first song I ever played. Because when I played that song on stage, it was the first time I’d ever played on stage. That was the moment where I realized that this is what I wanted to do forever. That was at the end of 2020, when the world started opening up a little bit more. I went to Cookeville at an open mic night, and I had just started learning how to play the guitar. I had just started learning how to write songs. I used music as a form of therapy to get out of my head during Covid and I decided one day that I was just going to go play an open mic night in Cookeville, Tennessee. I played, “Should’ve Been a Cowboy” and in that moment I knew that this is what I needed to do forever. When I’m on stage, I find an escape from the ptsd, the depression, the anxiety, all the stuff that I deal with from going to war and getting shot, and my best friends being killed. Like when I’m on stage, all of that disappears while I’m there. That’s my sanctuary and it very quickly became my sanctuary. Also, that’s kind of why that song means so much to me because that was the moment that showed me that that is my escape and this is what I needed to do.

You mentioned on Instagram that you are playing “Pro Beer” and other new songs during your live shows. What can fans expect from the other new songs that you’re working on? 

We got some really great songs, but our set list right now is more geared toward the country rock sound. It’s kind of the sound that I love and it’s kind of the sound that I’ve kind of settled into. We had “Whiskey in the Bottle,” which is more uptempo fun, rock and stuff. We had a “Town Like Mine,” which is very much a rock and country song, and we have some other rock and country songs that we’re working on. And really the whole set list by itself has kind of become more of a rock country influence sound, and it’s really cool. It’s a fun set list and it’s going to be such a blast to play out this year.

Why is it important to you to use your platform to help advocate for veterans? 

It’s important to me because music saved my life. And as a veteran and really just with who I am, I want to help with my music. It doesn’t matter if you’re a veteran, it doesn’t matter just if you’re struggling, I want to try to help you in some way, shape, or form. But you know I connect the most with the veteran community because that’s where I am. And it means the world to me to try to continue to put out music that means something and that can truly help. For me, that’s all that matters to me. I don’t care about being famous, I don’t care about making a bunch of money. I just want someone who’s struggling to listen to one of my songs and I want them to be like, ‘okay,’ and then try tomorrow. Then the next day, try tomorrow and then just keep going. And then 10 years down the road, look at the day that they decided to keep moving and see everything that they have since. Really just helping people is all I care about. That’s truly it.

What are some other goals that you have for yourself and your career?

One of my biggest goals was always to make my Grand Ole Opry debut and I did it this last year, which is crazy. It’s been a year and somehow I made my Grand Ole Opry Debut, it’s crazy. It’s been crazy. This year has been nuts. This year, I want to play at the Ryman so badly. It’s such a special place in Nashville and there’s so much incredible history there, and it’s probably one of the best venues that we have in Nashville. I want to play there really bad. And then long-term goals are just, honestly, my biggest goal is just to help people. I just want people to hear my music and for it to mean something to them and for it to help in some way, shape, or form, whatever that looks like. 

Fans can keep up with Scotty Hasting on Instagram.