Last summer we had the chance to talk to NSA/Midas/Big Machine recording artist Adam Gregory about his burgeoning Country music career (click here to read) as his first single “Crazy Days” was climbing the charts. We recently had the opportunity to speak with the Canada native about how things are going with him and his upcoming album as he readies to put his career into overdrive.
Matt Bjorke: So since we’ve last talked, your song has charted but has had to fight a bit to stay in the Top 40…
Adam Gregory: It’s tough being a new act down here, because when an established act releases a new song it can have an effect on what your song is doing, pushing it back a little bit.
Matt: Who did you write it with?
Adam: I wrote it with Kyle Jacobs, Lee Brice, Joe Leathers (and Greg Crowe). Basically, it’s about a guy who wants to do everything and anything he can to be the man he can be with the girl he’s with. Just go above and beyond. It’s really cool because I’ve been doing shows and seeing the odd person here or there singing it back to me.
Matt: How well is “What It Takes” in Canada?
Adam: It’s doing really well. I hear the reports from my parents and it’s Top 3 in Edmonton and Top 6 in all of Canada, so it’s doing really well. The video (click here to watch) is being playing in Canada as well.
Matt: I almost brought your first CD with me today…
Adam: Did you really?
Matt: I had it out and looking at you then and looking at you now, does it seem like an eternity ago for you?
Adam: I even notice a difference. I’ll pull out one of those CDs and I’ll play them back and I’m like “oh my gosh, I didn’t know I sounded like that back then.” I definitely hit the growth and maturity thing going on.”
Matt: You were a just a kid, learning on the job so to speak, it must’ve helped you get a leg up with other new artists, that experience?
Adam: Well, the funny thing is that it didn’t really help out a whole lot because I started back at point A here. Everything I did the last 10 years in Canada I couldn’t really bring with me here. But I’m glad I did that in Canada because it allowed me the chance to know what to expect on the road and other experiences like that. It’s quite a bigger market down here for sure.
Matt: If it wasn’t, nobody would be coming here, would they?
Adam: Yeah, if it was easy, everybody would do it (laughs).
Matt: So your album is scheduled to be released soon?
Adam: Well, we don’t have an exact date yet but the Canadian release is later this month (March 24th).
Matt: You’re currently in the middle of a club tour where you’re raising awareness for “Soles for Souls?” what can you tell us about that?
Adam: “Soles for Souls” is an organization that I’ve recently become a part of and anyone who knows me knows that I try to help out people any way I can. “Soles for Souls” was created by a guy after the Asian Tsunami and Hurricane Katrina to help with the community so he collected shoes and donated them to the needy. After a couple of years of doing this, the organization has donated over four million pairs of shoes, and now every 17 seconds a pair of shoes is given to somebody. I have boxes and boxes of shoes in my office to hand out while on the road, we get them delivered to people and go to the missions and just really help out that way.
Matt: I love to hear about stuff like this, I’m not sure that too many people ask about these questions.
Adam: It’s a good question to ask and it’s close to my heart. I recently got the chance to go to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital for the first time. I was able to see what those kids have to look forward to, and they do because of all the great research going on. They’re sick but with the research there’s hope.
Matt: Yeah, like the artist Kevin Sharp, he was a make-a-wish kid who was incurable to being cured. So he obviously does stuff for the same organizations.
Adam: I’ve done some stuff with Make-A-Wish too…
Matt: Do you think that is something that about country music that’s more aware about giving back than say a rock artist?
Adam: I think country artists have really big hearts, for the most part, and they want to help out and give back to the community. You don’t really see that in rap artists or say, rock, but you can see it in the music. Country has good messages, stories, and it’s real easy to see that.
Matt: Have you made any plans for a summer tour yet?
Adam: I’m waiting to hear back about that right now. My management and William Morris, my booking agent, are working on that but at this moment we’re really focused on just meeting radio and getting to know them because with out radio, it’s hard to have a career.
Matt: Thanks for taking the time to talk with us again, we appreciate it.
Adam: It was nice to see you again, thank you.
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