Jon Pardi might be on album number five and have bagged a chart topper, but the established Country music artist has even bigger dreams for the future. The 40-year-old released Boots Off, which landed him another UK Country Radio Airplay chart number one, perfect timing for his UK tour. However, he admits he is far from the level he wants to be at, confessing he is 'still figuring it out'.
Luke Bryan's Memorable Advice
Speaking exclusively to the Mirror, Jon revealed the top advice he received from mentor and friend Luke Bryan. 'My favourite thing Luke told me is 'the longer it takes, the more time you get to figure it out'. And that was something that has stuck with me. And we're still figuring it out!'
It is that mantra that has led Jon to where he is today, with his fifth album, Honkytonk Hollywood, winning rave reviews. 'I wanted to switch up producers,' Jon said about the 17-track album. 'I wanted to use one of my favourite producers in town, Jay Joyce, and I just think it's a great record, a great sound record, and a lot of great songs came our way, and it was just a piece of art for me.'
A Musical Experience
Jon explained that the album took a month and a half to make, unlike a typical three-day studio session. 'It was a really musical experience that brought me back to making music as it was. Very rock and roll in a way where we were just in the studio all the time, being super creative. And that's what I love about Honkytonk Hollywood.'
For Jon, who has been writing songs since age 12, country music's appeal goes beyond the music itself. The dad-of-two explained why he thinks country music is growing in popularity and mixing with other styles. 'It's pretty easy listening,' he said. 'And, you know, our lyrics feel more heartfelt. I don't know, it just hits the heart a little bit. I mean, if you just read a Cardi B lyric and you read like one of my lyrics, you're gonna know a big difference, just without music.'
Dreams of the 'Upper Deck'
As he continues to tour with his latest tunes, Jon is very appreciative of his audience. He dreams of that 'upper deck' moment as his career goes from strength to strength. He confessed that while things are on the rise, 'it's always a fight' to get to that next level. 'I'm still here, though, I'm on the long road,' he defiantly said. Jon revealed he plans to play 'bigger arenas' as part of the upper deck dream. 'It's just more exposure. You just gotta keep grinding.'
Charitable Work
While music is his main focus, Jon is also generous with charitable donations. 'We donate to a lot of local stuff around the Christmas tour,' he said, explaining the Starlight Foundation he set up with his wife, Summer. The fund supports general youth enrichment, especially in trade, agriculture, and construction, aiming to empower the next generation to thrive professionally and contribute meaningfully to their communities.
'It's really cool,' Jon said. 'There's small charities everywhere that, like, you give them $10,000 and it's made their whole year. It's mainly for children. And, you know, I do trade school with kids. The kids are straight out of high school. They don't know what they want to do. We like to focus on that, because I feel like I was there, but I moved to Nashville, but like some people don't sing and write songs, so there's all kinds of stuff we can do for that.'
