By Grace Pateras | [email protected]

On Saturday, Kinnick Stadium will host its first ever concert, and country artist Tucker Beathard will take the stage. He will be in Iowa City as part of the Back Porch Revival; Others on the lineup include Big & Rich, Thomas Rhett, and headliner Blake Shelton. He is the brother of Hawkeye football quarterback C.J. Beathard. Their father, Casey Beathard, is also an American country-music writer.

The Daily Iowan talked on the phone with Beathard earlier this month about music, family, and Iowa football.

The Daily Iowan: You’ve grown up around country music — when did you know you wanted to be a musician yourself, professionally?

Tucker Beathard: From a young age I always loved music and gravitated toward it, but it was always as a drummer. I always played drums. It wasn’t until about 15 or 14; I picked up the guitar and started trying to let out feelings in songs, then played my first show behind the guitar and sang, and from that moment on I just knew exactly that this is what I wanted to do. It’s kind of something I’ve been addicted to ever since. That first taste of it, you never want to look back from there.

DI: Right after high school, is that when you started working on songs and making an album?

Beathard: Yeah, I wrote and played all throughout high school, but sports took up a lot of my time. I had a baseball scholarship signed and committed to that I almost went to school for. And then, I don’t know, it was just one of those things where nothing compared to my passion with music. The night before I was supposed to report to college and report to the baseball facility and whatnot, I decided to call my coach and tell him I wasn’t coming anymore. And I decided to dive into music.

DI: How has your life changed since your first hit single, “Rock on,” was released?

Beathard: Quite a bit — it’s kind of cool to see how much radio is such a big marketing tool; it helps out. I’ve definitely seen the effects from it. A lot of shows, you know, the majority of people still aren’t all that familiar, but it’s a lot more people than it actually seems. Seeing them sing along with the song, it’s one of the coolest things. It really is. To play a song and have them sing back with you and sing along with you, it’s awesome.

DI: It’s funny you mentioned the radio and how it generates fans. In Iowa, I’ve heard a lot of radio hosts introduce your song, but they’ll introduce you as “Hawkeye quarterback CJ Beathard’s younger brother.” Because everyone knows your brother. I’m just wondering if you notice a difference in your fans when you come to Iowa?

Beathard: Iowa is such a big supporter of me, and obviously my brother is the quarterback for the team, and it’s really cool to see their support. I’ve always kind of felt like Iowa’s a second home for me and all the people there. To have them so welcoming … since they support my brother so much, they care enough to want to support me as well. It feels kind of like family. Some of the best shows I’ve gotten to play have been in Iowa. It’s almost like playing in a hometown.

DI: What was it like watching your brother play last year in an almost undefeated season?

Beathard: I was unfortunately on the road a lot last year during the football season, so I didn’t get to go to as many games as I wanted. I think I went to one or two because I was playing in Iowa. But no matter where I am, most of the games I watch streaming on my phone driving to a gig. We didn’t miss a game at all. It’s one of the coolest things for me to watch my brother, seeing what he’s doing. We just support each other so much in what we do, and we want the best for each other. I definitely didn’t miss any games. Actually, the Big Ten Championship game I watched the last quarter on stage. I put it up on stage behind a monitor and watched it while I was playing. Unfortunately, when the game ended I saw they lost and I tried to act like it didn’t affect while I’m on stage.

DI: After the Back Porch Revival show, you both you will be able to say you played at Kinnick, but obviously for different reasons. What will playing at the stadium, at its first ever concert, mean to you?

Beathard: Yeah, no kidding. It’s honestly like the coolest thing in my mind. I remember even when my brother first went to Iowa, and I was still a junior in high school, I even envisioned then, “Man, it would be cool if I did this music thing and I could do a show in Iowa before a game.” And then getting that call, and being one of the first people to perform there, it’s nothing short of a dream come true.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfmPOwr5ZeY

DI: So your dad is a songwriter. Did he help you get into the business?

Beathard: He’s never really been one to force anything or do anything for me or nothing like that. But I think just naturally growing up in that environment and always having music around and hearing my dad come home from work playing a song he wrote that day, it just gets ingrained. I was a little more familiar with it growing up with music, so it definitely rubbed off on me. I don’t know how much my dad wanted me to dive into music business this early, but either way he’s going to support me. It’s cool to share that common passion with your dad.

DI: I follow you on social media and see you’ve been traveling a lot lately, being on tour all summer. What have you been up to besides touring?

Beathard: That’s pretty much taken up all of my time. There’s a Dierks Bentley tour, but that only takes up half of the touring we’ve been doing. So if we’re not playing with Dierks, if we’re not out on that tour, we’re playing a bunch of other shows. There really hasn’t been that much free time, but I did get the Fourth of July weekend off and went to a beach with my family. I’ve been hanging out with my friends on days I get home. I’ve got a new house I’ve been moving into; I’ve been juggling a bunch of things.

DI: Are you working on new songs or a new album to come out soon?

Beathard: I’m trying to move on and get more stuff out there. Working with record labels is a long process. I got all the songs, and we’re finalizing mixes and recordings, but as far as I know, I know we’ve worked out something for the meantime — a five or six-song EP early October to get more stuff out there. I’m ready for a full album to be out there, but something’s better than nothing, so it’ll be good.

DI: Have you performed with others on the Back Porch Revival lineup before?

Beathard: I’ve played with Thomas Rhett before, but I don’t think I’ve done shows with Blake Shelton or Big & Rich. If I have, they were just festivals with a bunch of different artists. But I know Thomas Rhett; he’s a good buddy, nice dude. About as nice as they get. So seeing him will be cool. I don’t know Big & Rich and Blake Shelton that great, but it’ll be a fun show.