how are you feeling tonight to be here at the VMAs this is my first VM so um yeah it's my first rodeo This is 40 Years of VMAs right now do you have an earliest memory or like some like iconic performances that you remember seeing as a kid I just know so many iconic performances happen at the BMA so I'm glad to actually be here in person to to watch some of that go down well you have an album that's dropping um is it dropping in September it's Friday my album dropped on Friday yeah how would you describe this new era of music that you're putting out right now um this record's called postcards from Texas and I made it in Austin I hadn't made a record in Texas since I was 18 and I've been doing this over 20 years so it felt very full circle for me to go home to my honky ton roots for sure speaking of kind of diving back into your past is there what would you say to a younger version of yourself that was about to embark on a journey in music I would just say slow down take a breath and enjoy the ride a little bit more I know you know you've probably collaborated with everybody Under the Sun at this point is there anybody that you're still itching to get back into the studio with yeah well I I've gotten to collaborate a little bit with posty so I'd like to he's been hanging around Nashville making friends with all of us so it's is great and Chapel rone I'm a huge fan so I'm I want to meet her tonight and excited to see her perform one album that you've been listening to on repeat this year um Chapel Ron and Laney Wilson she just had a record come out um so and it's called Whirlwind so I'm huge Laney fan