Exclusive Interview with Russell Dickerson: Unveiling 'Bones'

Country music star, Russell Dickerson recently released his new single, 'Bones,' on July 12. Mens Journal (MJ) got to chat with Dickerson about the song, the behind the scenes and what it means to him.

Dickerson continues to write and sing about his wife, Kailey, and their love story. 'Bones' offers a new and innovative twist on the typical country love song. 'Bones' was co-written by Russell Dickerson alongside Chase McGill, Chris LaCorte and Parker Welling.

Although no specific dates or details have been revealed, Dickerson did tease his fourth studio album is in the works, and will feature 'Bones,' among his other recent releases.

MJ: Can you tell me about the inspiration behind “Bones,” and how it came about?

Dickerson: Yeah, we really started with the title. In my head I just thought it looked so cool. Bones! I came in to write with some of my go to writers and just my favorite people. How can we make a song out of the bones idea ya know? Can we make it a love song? We started playing that guitar riff you hear in the song and it just kept rolling. We went down the trail of different 'bones.' 'Felt it in my bones,' and 'flesh and bones,' etc. We just started building a love song around these phrases. Then the line 'gold on my finger's wrapped around nothin' but bones' came about and we all got excited. That line got the chorus going. We all felt pretty good about this one.

MJ: How do you think "Bones" represents your growth as an artist since your last album?

Dickerson: 'Bones' is cool because it does represent the growth from my first single, 'Yours.' It is still similar 'cause it's a country epic ballad love song but the songwriting is more mature and the key is lower, my voice is lower now. It shows growth and maturity in my sound too.

MJ: What do you hope listeners take away from the song "Bones"?

Dickerson: I mean I feel like I have had a lot of love songs. I want people to feel like if they have made that commitment of a lifetime of love that it only strengthens that bond for them, the bond of just that lifetime commitment of love, till you're in the dirt.

MJ: Did the creative process differ from your previous work?

Dickerson: This is the first time that I have worked with Chris as a producer which was a little bit different. But not necessarily production wise. He is also a co-writer and he has worked with a bunch of other successful artists as well.

MJ: Tell me a little bit about you and your family. What does life look like right now outside of music?

Dickerson: Oh the fam. Yeah, we got two boys; one is three almost four and a nine month old. We are really in the trenches of parenthood, but it's amazing. We love it, we are having the time of our lives. We are right in the middle of the Sam Hunt tour right now. We started up in the northwest I guess and just have made our way throughout. Livin' the family dream, RV camper life.

MJ: You recently released “Good Day to Have a Great Day,” which has a very upbeat, positive vibe, giving listeners a glimpse into your ‘glass half full’ mindset. How does "Bones" fit into the broader theme or story of the type of music you're putting out now?

Dickerson: My records have always had a broad spectrum of outlooks on life and different sonic sounds, pulling from different genres and making my own sound. 'Good day' is lighthearted and 'Bones' is more serious but not heavy. It's a love song; from day one since I met my wife, our relationship keeps building and growing. Everyday I truly wonder how I got this girl. The chorus is basically just, ya know, I will love you till I am in the dirt.

MJ: Are there any behind-the-scenes stories about "Bones" that you can share?

Dickerson: Sure, yeah I do have a favorite story. We had just finished up the song, maybe even just the demo. One night my wife went over across the street for girls night. So it's just me, and I put the kids down and it started getting late. It was maybe 10- 10:30 and I was like 'oh its girls night,' then its gettin past midnight and I was thinking 'ok where is she?' She walks in with tears in her eyes and a smile, and she said she had been driving around just listening to 'Bones' on repeat. She tells me the truth, and she has heard all the songs. She has heard the good, bad, and ugly so this was the highest compliment.

MJ: Are you playing 'Bones' live currently?

Dickerson: Yeah, we played it up in the Ozarks for the first time. We posted a clip on my Instagram and it is my highest viewing video in a minute. We keep playing it live on the Sam Hunt tour too, the audience seems to love it. For me, even in sound check I am just covered in head to toe chills. That is kind of my radar for hit songs, if gives me the tingles. Live performances help us gauge the feel too.

MJ: Can we expect a music video for "Bones"?

Dickerson: Oh 100%. We haven't decided much about it yet, but the treatments and such we have are insane so once we pick we will know more. But it is going to be epic.

MJ: You are currently on the Sam Hunt tour, and then you'll take off to headline yourself on tour right? Talk a little bit about that.

Dickerson: We are out with Sam Hunt now, opening up for him. Then we are going to go to the UK for a tour that I am headlining. We went two years ago I guess and I am excited for that. It is cool to open up for people but being able to headline especially in a foreign country and have every show sold out with fans who know your music is special.

MJ: 'Bones' releases on July 12. What is after that for you? Do you have more music in the works?

Dickerson: More music is always in the works. We are full speed ahead recording. I am so excited for all the tracks for this album. This is my fourth album so it has to be special. We are still figuring out the release schedule, packaging, and all the details.

Emerging onto the country music scene from Tennessee, Dickerson swiftly distinguished himself by achieving four consecutive No. 1 singles on the Billboard Country chart. He began to gain traction around 2015. His hits, including "Yours," "Blue Tacoma," "Every Little Thing," "Love You Like I Used To," and "God Gave Me A Girl," have collectively garnered an impressive 3 billion streams. His unstoppable and energetic energy pulls fans in to his music and his shows.

Be on the lookout for more music releases from Russell Dickerson soon, and be sure to go check out 'Bones,' wherever you stream your music. For tickets to his upcoming shows visit https://russelldickerson.com/ .