Ask any up-and-coming country music artist trying to forge themselves onto the country music scene what their biggest goal and dream would be and many will tell you, without hesitation, it’s to play at the Grand Ole Opry.
Not only has newcomer Larry Fleet achieved this, but he has now sold out the ‘mother church of country music’, the Ryman Auditorium (original birthplace of the Grand Ole Opry), and he did so in just a few hours for his upcoming September headlining show there.
It is a validating feat for any artist, let alone one who has only been on the scene for just a few years, and yet to have a song stick at country radio.
It’s not only a sign that a fanbase can be built from the ground up, but it’s a sign that a fanbase will grow and faithfully follow you if you’re making good music.
And Larry Fleet is making very good country music.
Larry spent a decade living in Chattanooga after meeting his wife, Phoebe, before any record deal ever came along. Settling in Red Bank, Larry spent years pouring concrete during the weekdays, but releasing gospel music with a country twist via his social media, that eventually garnered the attention of one of Nashville’s biggest songwriters, Connie Harrington, who co-wrote the #1 smash hit, ‘I Drive Your Truck’ by Lee Brice.
Connie was floating an unfinished song and was moved by Larry’s singing and regular weekly releases of gospel music covers on his personal social media channels, and messaged Larry directly on his Instagram and invited Larry to join her for a writing session. After that session, ‘Where I Find God’ was born.
The song would go on to become Larry’s biggest song-to-date and propel him to an opening act on tour with his label-mate, and arguably country music’s biggest recording artist, Morgan Wallen.
Different from the traditional approach where artist interested in making it in country music by moving to Nashville, Larry stayed in Chattanooga and didn’t move to Music City and embed himself into the music scene.
Larry instead, having grown up close to Nashville, took a shot a building a fanbase in Chattanooga and continued to focus his efforts on releasing music on his social channels, which were continuing to grow.
Then, in a happenstance scenario, Larry played at a wedding attended by recording artist, Jake Owen, and off to the races he went. Larry got a record deal with Big Loud Records and recording his first major label album in 2019.
Chattanoogan.com contributing writer, Joe Hendrix, sat down with Larry to discuss his time in Chattanooga, and his eventual exit to Nashville to become one of the biggest new artists in country music today.
(The following interview has been edited for clarity & brevity)
You just sold out the Ryman, and you did it nearly instantly. Things certainly have to feel different now.
It’s been a cool ride, and you never know how things are going to turn out. You struggle and you try for a long time, and then it just seems like one day, things start working and you sell out the Ryman. The thing sold out by lunchtime, so it was crazy and blew my mind. I was sitting here thinking, what is going on! That’s the mother church, and I’m so excited about it.
When you saw this go down, selling out the Ryman that quickly, was it validating for you that something had shifted in your fanbase and country music career?
Oh, for sure. I remember playing Songbirds in Chattanooga right after I got my record deal, and I think I had maybe 75 people at that show, and maybe half of them were my friends and family. So, like I said, you don’t know if you have something or you’re asking, “are these people here because they’re supporting their buddy?” Then you’re out in Iowa or Nebraska, and people are showing up. My band and I were talking, and we asked ourselves, “when was that day that it hit us that we have something?” And then there’s thousands of people, and we can’t remember the day it stated happening. We had our head down and we were grinding, fighting, and hoping that people showed up, and then all of a sudden, they did. We can go back to a show or two that surprised us that all these people showed up and they know every word to every song, and of course, when I put ‘Where I Find God’ out, that was the song that kind of boosted everything for us. But the Ryman, yes, it still blows my mind that 2,400 people were in a frenzy to make that happen. There are so many levels to this industry. You start out in a truck and a trailer, and you’ll play anywhere that somebody will have you for little to no money, so I’m happy to be where we’re at, because it could have not worked for sure. You just don’t know.
You’ve released 4 new songs recently that are arguably richer or maybe deeper in lyrical content, and the dynamic of the songs are just special. Do these songs feel different for you?
Yes, and the thing about it is, when I put out a record, I want it to be recognizable to me. But nobody wants to hear the same record over and over again. With my first record, we cut the entire record in 3 or 4 days. It was bare bones; we were throwing out a soul-sided record. But by second record, ‘Stack of Records’, had a little more electric guitar in it, and it was beefed up. So, these new songs, it’s a little different side of me, but it’s still telling a story. Some of them are fun, some of them are drinking songs, but I wanted to increase the production and rock a little bit. Thinking about the songs live is important, too. I haven’t had big success yet at radio, but in the songs I picked and recorded, I’m really focused on my live show and how the songs will work.
You put these newer songs out in stages over this year, kind of on que with how many new artists are releasing music, but when can your fanbase expect a new album?
We were hoping to have something out in July, but it will probably be September. We’ve been cutting a bunch of songs and doing a lot of things, and I’m out on the road, so the process to put something out as a full album gets pushed back by the label sometimes. But we’re looking at the end of August or September.
Speaking about the label, you signed with Big Loud Records (Morgan Wallen, Jake Owen), an independent label. And it seems their model for signed artists, different from the decades-long Nashville machine, is to let the artist run and get out there and go after it with a grass-roots approach and build a brand and fanbase. They are clearly behind you, and you have in your camp, Joey Moi, who is arguably the biggest country music producer in Nashville working with you (and co-owner of the label). How much has your success so far been attributed to the label supporting you in this way?
They’re awesome, and Joey is as well. To be honest, when I first got my record deal, we were looking for a producer. And I know what Joey has done in his career, and he’s done some huge things, but I was wondering if he was the right guy for me. It was a question of style. But the more I thought about it, I thought he was perfect. We met and talked, and the reason I decided to go with him, because that was my decision, was because Joey is the guy who will find the new sound. People chase what he does. I wanted to be with an innovator. People want their stuff to sound like Joey Moi’s stuff. So, we got together, and we just became buddies. He understands who I am and what I want to do. And it’s a partnership, and we work together on stuff. And he’s a genius, and he’s great at what he does.
Moving over to your live shows. It appears you’ve really been able to keep the production focused on the music. What has been some of the key things that have been important to you from the stage?
Yes, that has been important to me. A lot of folks have a track that builds out the sound a bit instead of having 10 musicians on the stage. And I decided not to do that, and instead, I’m just going to have me and my band playing our music. So, I’m playing on every song. And as I get bigger, I’ll add more things. But keeping people’s attention is very hard to do. So, I’m playing on each song, but I’ve built myself into the show as an entertainer, but focus on being genuine and authentic and showing who I am. A songwriter and musician, first. So yes, I’ve built my show to be stripped down like that. But don’t get me wrong, the big light show is fun and cool. When I was out with Morgan Wallen, he’s got fire and pyro and it’s awesome and cool. And people dig it! When you’re playing for 20,000 people at a stadium, you need things to pop off, especially, as a fan, if you’re in the back you can’t see the artist up close. But for where I’m at in my career, I’m still playing to 1,500 to 2,000 people, so I’m trying to give them that intimate side of me. We have a backdrop and some rugs under us, and whatever lights they have in that venue. But I know it will grow over time.
For upcoming tour dates, visit www.LarryFleet.com.