Tyler Hubbard's 'Take Me Back' Is Letter To Georgia Hometown

Intro - Welcome back. Henry Golding is with us, everybody. (audience cheers) And you might know our next guest from Florida Georgia Line, but since, he's gone solo and he's had songs go platinum and double platinum, two number one hits, and a current top five hit with "Back Then Right Now". He's killing it. His second solo album is out now; it's called "Strong" and you can buy it wherever you get your music. Everybody say hello to Tyler Hubbard. (audience cheers) (funky guitar music) - Yeah. (audience cheers) I'm out of hugs. - Look at us, we're kind of complimenting each other on this. - Let's go. - I know, you both look very spring. I ruined the vibe with my Elvira look; it's fine. Have y'all met before? I didn't know if- - We just met. - [Kelly] You just met, yeah. - Backstage. - I know, I didn't know if you remember. We ran into each other randomly. I think it was like an event where a bunch of artists were, I can't even remember the event, but it was backstage. You were very nice. - I feel like we go way back. - [Kelly] Okay, I was like, you're very, very nice. - Maybe we've met, maybe we haven't. - This accent, I can't get over it. - It's one of those- - I can't get over yours. - Yeah. (laughing) - You sound much more educated than I. - It's very posh, I like it, yeah. But we were just talking kids. You have three kids that are all under the age of six. - That's right, yeah. - So how's life? - Yeah. Are you tired? - It's pretty chaotic and awesome and exciting and fun. - [Kelly] Look how cute they are! - Lot of work. Yeah, it's kind of crazy. That was actually probably a year or two ago at this point. But yeah, they keep us on our toes. It's a lot of fun. We took them out, I took all three of 'em, me and my wife out on tour last weekend so you can imagine three days on a tour bus. I mean, you've, you know. - Oh no, that's why I don't tour anymore. I literally was like, "Oh, this is gonna kill me." Yeah 'cause you wake up so early 'cause they're up early and then you have to be on stage late. I was like, this is not the life. - Yeah, the kids don't care what time you go to bed. They're gonna wake up early no matter what. - Yeah, and they will easily lay on the guilt and abandonment issues. (laughing) Oh, well the other one was here doing this. I'm like, "Whatever, I'm tired." - Exactly, yeah. - But it's hard to do, yeah. His new album Strong So your new album is called "Strong". So why? Do you feel like you're at, do you feel very strong right now? - Well, with three kids, we're feeling pretty strong right now. We've made it through. Honestly, there're three, four, and six at this point, so we kind of feel like we're coming up for air a little bit and we're kind of stronger for the last six years of our life. But no, ultimately- - And that's hard. - I have a song called "Strong" on the album. We were sort of looking for what's the overarching theme here and we kept referring to everything as being strong along the way. Like mixes, takes, songs, photo shoots, the whole process. So we just decided after overthinking it for about two weeks, we just decided let's just call it "Strong". It feels appropriate. It kind of encompasses the project and encompasses kind of where I'm at right now in life. And yeah, it feels appropriate. - Wherever the chapter is. - [Tyler] Just went with the gut. - Whatever is happening. - Exactly. So it feels good. - And overthinking it. We do that a lot, musicians. - It's what artists do. It's what we do, so. - [Kelly] It's like, just go with the gut. - Right. It'd be a lot easier, yeah. Park - Well, you have a song called "Park". So did that get you in trouble? This story, this whole song? - This story's gotten around, hasn't it? Yeah. Halfway through the song as we were writing it, I was like, "You know what?" I was starting to have a flashback. I'm like, I remember when I was 15, I got caught parking in a parking lot with my girlfriend who was 16 and had her own car. So we thought we were free. - Can you tell people what parking lot you were in? - Does everybody know what park? Everybody knows what parking is. (audience cheers) And then let's get specific. - No, but you were in a church parking lot. - I was in a church parking lot. (audience laughing) Which is supposed to be the safest spot to be. (audience laughing) - That's why they wouldn't expect anybody to be. - [Tyler] No judgment. - God is watching, man. I'm like. - We were leaving enough room in the middle for Jesus, don't you worry. (audience laughing) - No, you were not. No, you were not. That's what I think is hilarious about it. - No, we were not. So anyways, literally, it was a big dramatic thing. Cop pulls up, I'm thinking he's gonna be cool, he'll just tell us to go home. No, he wanted to make an example out of us. So he gets us all flustered and then he's like, "I'm gonna drive you home. We're gonna talk to your dad and your parents." I'm like, bro, isn't there a bro code here or something like that? And literally, "Just let me go." And so he took me home, made me go tell my dad the whole scenario. Although I was grounded for like a month from seeing my girlfriend or riding in her car, which is really unfortunate at 15 years old. Because back then it was like, if you could drive, it was a big deal. I know nowadays nobody even cares about driving. - No, but it was freedom. - It was freedom, so, yeah. So grounded for a month. My dad was like, "Son, why didn't you just come park in the driveway?" (audience laughing) - Great tip, Dad. - Next time, Dad. Yeah, next time. It'd be a lot less of an ordeal. So, but yeah, that was kind of the flashback as I was writing that song and that's been the story behind that one. - That's hilarious. My mother had to tell me what parking was and I was like, "This isn't the 50s, people don't do that." And they do. I didn't know. Klepto I was like, all right. Well, you were a pretty good kid, but did you get caught stealing candy once? - Yeah, that was my period of- - Is that your worst thing you did? - Klepto sort of, I was a kleptomaniac. And I got caught stealing a Mars bar ice cream, strangely. Which the police officer cheekly said, "Do you wanna finish that now?" And I was like, "No, I don't." I was just like (crying). - You might as well, you're already getting in trouble for it. - I was so, I was, my parents, it was like corporal punishment. I was, yeah, it was not a happy household for a month. - (chuckling) Yeah, I don't know what it is, man. - But it put me on the straight and narrow. So no more stealing. - No more Mars bars for you. - [Kelly] No more Mars bars. Strictly the ones you pay for. Interview Okay, so you're performing "Take Me Back", so tell us about that song. - Yeah, it's probably one of the more vulnerable songs off the album. It's a little more mid tempo. It's kind of, it's got a unique twist. You kind of think it's like a miss-you song from a relationship, but then come to find out I'm talking to my hometown. And I've lived in Nashville for 18 years now, which is how old I was when I moved to Nashville. So it's kind of a cool transition of man, I love Georgia, I love where I came from, I'm proud of my roots, but I have an interesting relationship and dynamic with where I'm from and so this just sort of highlights that a bit. Sort of just my letter to my hometown. - Yeah, I love that. I love those songs. Those mid tempos are my favorites on the album. - Cool, we have to check it out. - Yeah. Well, let's do another break, everybody. Tyler's new album is called "Strong". You can buy it now wherever you get your music. And stick around because he's got a performance coming up later you do not wanna miss. I love that cover, by the way.