Jam Out to These New Live Versions of Sam Hunt Hits [Listen]
If you haven’t gotten a chance to see Sam Hunt’s 15 in a 30 Tour yet, he has a treat for you. Two, actually. Hunt released two audio tracks from his show for fans to enjoy: live versions of both “Ex to See” and his latest hit, “Body Like a Back Road.”
The former is an amped up, raw approach to his highly produced hit from Montevallo, giving fans a glimpse into Hunt's high-energy show. Fans will be pleased to hear his vocals totally translate outside of the record, and, like any great artist, he’s even better live.
“Body Like a Back Road” is met with a host of hoops and hollers as soon as the first hook comes in. “Y’all know this?” Hunt comments slyly before it begins. “Sing it with me if you would.”
Of course, they oblige. Loudly. Hunt even lets the crowd take a few words at the beginning and conducts a singalong at the end, and the audience must be deafening in the venue. The widespread success of the sexy, yet lighthearted song — including on Top 40 radio — is evident from their sheer enthusiasm for the tune, which Hunt sings with his trademark smooth charm and warm vocals. He ad-libs here and there, bringing his personality to life in a way that doesn’t appear on the original track.
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“Body Like a Back Road” is Hunt’s latest release, to appear on a yet-to-be-announced record in the future. Hunt says, though, that he doesn’t feel beholden to a traditional album structure for his music.
“I try to make music that’s relevant to my life and relatable to the culture I live in,” he admits. “Putting out music as it’s made, versus holding it until an album’s finished, allows me to be more timely and maintain balance.”
For that reason, we may see a few more singles before we actually get a full album from Hunt, but he also says that he’s not making music his top priority anymore. He’s going to focus primarily on things that matter most in life, especially now that he’s married.
“I don’t want to come off as … I’m not excited about making music or I’m not very hopeful to have new music for the fans who are anxiously awaiting new music, but, you know, I’m in a place in my career and in my life where I’m not willing to give music 100 percent of me anymore," he says. "I did that for four years, and it was fruitful as far as my career goes, but everything else in my life had to be put on hold, and I’m just not willing to do that for years and years at a time.”
Listen to Sam Hunt's Live "Ex to See"
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