Florida Georgia Line Celebrate ‘Dig Your Roots’ with Special Event on Ellis Island
“There’s a ton of history here on Ellis Island. This is our first time here, so it’s really special," Hubbard tells us.
Their loyal and devoted legion of fans aren’t the only ones who have been counting down the days until the recent release of Dig Your Roots, the new album from Florida Georgia Line. The members of the CMA-winning duo have been excited about it as well. “We’re so excited for it to be out,” said the duo’s Tyler Hubbard to Sounds Like Nashville. “We’ve had it finished for a while, and we’ve been in the waiting process along with the fans. We couldn’t be more ready to get the new music out. It’s a little more mature, a little deeper, it’s music that BK and I both believe in. We poured our heart and soul in this record over the past year. We couldn’t be happier with it.”
Fans who pick up the new disc will find some different-sounding material than they might be accustomed to. In addition to the blockbuster (sixteen weeks atop the Billboard Country Songs chart) hit “H.O.L.Y.,” the band focuses on some more adult-themed lyrical content – including songs that lean toward to the more spiritual side of the duo.
“I think we’re hitting themes with our music that we haven’t hit yet, and we’ve been wanting to hit for a while,” admitted Brian Kelley. “Timing is everything, and there’s a couple of songs that came in last-minute that I felt we needed. There’s some things that I think we needed to re-visit. Songs like ‘While He’s Still Around’ is a spiritual song. It may not be one that you would hear in Church, but I think it hits you right in the heart, and makes you think. I also think that songs like ‘Music Is Healing,’ ‘Lifer,’ or ‘Grow Old,’ are basic love songs, and love is a spiritual thing, and I think it connects us all. It’s the universal language, and I think we’re both excited about having some love songs on here, and some songs that answer some questions.”
Florida Georgia Line selected the historic site of Ellis Island in New York to help launch Dig Your Roots, and Hubbard said it made perfect sense – especially for him. “There’s a ton of history here on Ellis Island. This is our first time here, so it’s really special. What a better way to experience that than to do what we’re doing here tonight. My father-in-law actually came through Ellis Island through Holland years ago, so there’s some history. We’re digging our roots, technically, as well,” he said excitedly.
With the success of “H.O.L.Y.,” the guys hope to go two-for-two from the album with their second single, “May We All,” a collaboration with Tim McGraw (one of a trio of guest appearances on the album – alongside Ziggy Marley on “Life Is A Honeymoon” and the Backstreet Boys on “God, Your Mama, And Me”). At the Ellis Island event, the video for “May We All” was unveiled, and needless to say, it’s quite a dramatic departure from most of their videos – even giving the two a chance to come to blows on camera. How realistic was the scene? “It was an adrenaline rush,” said Kelley. “We shot that scene four or five times, and when you’re going through something like a fight scene like that, you just have to go for it. I think Tyler got a little scared and teary-eyed. Tim gave us some really great acting advice, and I guess you could say it worked.”
Though it’s been just an amazingly short four years since “Cruise” launched them into the stratosphere, they have grown their brand considerably, as their Dig Your Roots Tour represents their third such headlining endeavor. With acts such as Cole Swindell, The Cadillac Three, and Kane Brown opening up, Hubbard admits that it’s very interesting that they’re not the “new kids” in the format anymore, and other acts are looking to them for inspiration. That’s a responsibility the two don’t take lightly.
“I think we’re excited to be in that position. I think having a larger voice, and knowing that people are listening is an accountability thing. I think it definitely helps us to make sure we’re saying the things we need to be saying. I think that’s a huge part of this third record. We’re being the men we want to be, and relaying the message and putting what we want to say out there. Up until the last couple years, we might not have had a lot of people listening to us or looking up to us. Now that’s the case, I do think it’s our responsibility to make sure we do what we’re supposed to do and setting a good example for the younger guys – doing everything that we learned from Luke [Bryan] and Jason [Aldean], Taylor [Swift], Jake Owen, and everyone else. Pass it on. That’s what you’re supposed to do.”
