SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Jan. 18, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — Tennessee-born troubadour Larry Fleet grew up on a stack of records that included such boldfaced names as Merle Haggard, Otis Redding, Willie Nelson, and Marvin Gaye, he says.
“A thoughtful songwriter with a knack for a one-liner, an ear for a sturdy hook, and a powerhouse voice that strikes like a match, Fleet was working blue-collar jobs to make ends meet long before landing his recording contract with Big Loud Records,” the bio on his website states.
He’s currently supporting Parker McCollum on his “Burn it Down tour,” coming to the Maverik Center in West Valley City on Thursday, Jan. 25, and took time out of his busy scheduled to chat to Gephardt Daily.
Fleet was born and raised in White Bluff, Tennessee. He grew up in a family of musicians influenced by gospel and bluegrass tunes; his great-grandfather performed gospel songs on the radio and had a band called the Happy Two. His great-uncle taught Fleet how to play guitar. He played Ryman Auditorium in Nashville at age 7 with his bluegrass band that featured his cousin on fiddle. Growing up, Fleet’s family members, most residing within walking distance of each other, routinely gathered after Sunday church services and jammed.
Later, he chose to move to Nashville in pursuit of a country music career. In 2017, country singer Jake Owen discovered Fleet performing at a party, and booked him as an opening act. Fleet also competed on “Real Country,” a singing competition on the USA Network where Owen served as a judge. He placed second on the show, which led to him recording a number of independent releases prior to signing with Big Loud in October 2019.
Fleet co-wrote his debut single, “Where I Find God,” with Nashville-based songwriter Connie Harrington, the pen behind Lee Brice’s “I Drive Your Truck,” Blake Shelton’s “Mine Would Be You,” and Ashley McBryde’s “Bonfire at Tina’s,” among others. She had discovered Fleet through his social media accounts, where he would post a cover of a gospel song every Sunday. Harrington expressed interest in writing a song with him, and the two penned it after she presented him with the title. Fleet’s first album, “Workin’ Hard,” was released in 2019, while his second, “Stack of Records,” a tribute to the music that raised him, was released in 2021, and “Earned It,” last year. A road-tested live show standout, Fleet wrapped 2022 with his first-ever headline “One For The Road” tour, following up crowd-winning opening slots supporting Darius Rucker, Willie Nelson, Jamey Johnson, Jon Pardi, and more. Fleet will open dates for McCollum through the end of January; they will be joined by King Calaway, and he extended his headline tour, “Larry Fleet Live.” Through the spring, then he’s going on to play various music festivals.
Fleet talked about what his upbringing was like, and also about his chance meeting with Owen seven years ago and what happened to his career after that.
“I had a typical small town upbringing in White Bluff, Tennessee, raised in a working-class family who had to earn everything we had,” Fleet said. “Playing music was pretty natural because I started so young and thought that’s just a normal thing everyone did. I would play some private shows on the weekends just to make a few extra bucks and get my music fix. There were about 30 people at a house party and one of them happened to be Jake. He came up to me afterwards and introduced himself. We hit it off, he kept good on his word and introduced me to quite a few people and gave me some great opportunities.”
We also asked him about the recording of his latest album, the 21-track “Earned It;” he said he constructed it as if it is the set list for a live show. We also asked him, now that he has three albums out, if one was easier to record than the others or if they were about the same.
“Live shows are the heart and soul of what I do and how I connect with fans, so it made sense to create an album that flows like a live show does,” he said. “I don’t think one was easier than the other, but I gained a lot of experience and grew quite a bit through the process, which is reflected in each album. During my first album, I didn’t have kids yet, so you may notice as the music and albums progress, so does the subject of having a family and being grateful.”
We asked Fleet if he brings his family on tour with him, and also if he finds he learn from the artists he supports, and also those who support him on headlining tours. On this spring’s “Earned It” tour, he will be joined by solo artists Austin Williams and Dalton Dover and duo Everette, depending on the date.
“I bring my family on tour with me as much as possible — it helps maintain some normalcy on the road and they have a great time being out with me,” he said. “I watch every artist that I tour with and try and learn as much as I can, both on stage and off. I do my best to return the favor with those who support me on tour as well by passing down things I’ve learned that may make life easier and the right ways to do things.”
I also asked him if he enjoyed playing the O2 in London, which houses 20,000 fans, and since I’m English, whether the U.K. treated him well.
“Visiting the U.K. for the first time and playing the O2 was an incredible experience!” he said. “I can’t wait to visit again and hopefully that’ll be in 2024 if we can find the dates to make it happen.”
He also talked about what else, other than music, brings him joy, and how he keeps himself grounded.
“My family brings me joy — being with my wife, watching my children learn and play,” he said. “Being outdoors and with family grounds me and is a place I can always come back to for stability.”
For more information about Fleet and the current tour, and for tickets, click here.
