Brad Paisley stays sincere at the Kettlehouse

William Munoz 

(Missoula Current) As spring moves toward summer, the outdoor concert season in western Montana is heating up. On the banks of the Blackfoot River, Brad Paisley brought his “Truck Still Works” tour to the sold out Kettlehouse Amphitheatre.

Eight semis full of sound and lighting gear gave the crowd much to cheer about. Paisley played on a runway that extended into the crowd; this created an intimacy with fans that has characterized his career.

Paisley is not the stereotypical country music star, with an appearance in 2022 on South Park and working with former First Lady Jill Biden promoting Covid vaccines. He also collaborated with Rapper LL Cool J (NCIS LA) in “Accidental Racist,” with Paisley singing about the dilemma of Southern pride without projecting an attitude that is racist.

He sings “Our generation didn't start this nation. We're still paying for mistakes that a bunch of folks made long before we came, caught somewhere between Southern pride and Southern blame.”

To know that Brad Paisley feels strong enough to say this is testimony to his character. His tells the stories of ordinary life with lyrics that elevate to storytelling. 'Waiting on a Woman,' featuring Andy Griffith, is a good example of his craft.

His current tour, “Truck Still Works,” is a 20-year love affair with a song from 2003, “Mud on the Tires.” The trucks then weren't the computer driven monstrosities of today that are rarely used as a truck but rather as a status symbol. It is rare to see a truck being used to haul anything or with mud all over it.

The song “Mud on the Tires” is from a bygone time when trucks were used as trucks. They got dirty, they got scratched. When they broke down you could fix them.

Avery Anna, a rising singer-songwriter from Flagstaff, opened the concert.