Vancouver based country star Aaron Pritchett is sitting pretty in Suntan City, his new single which is heating up the charts.
He comes back to Lethbridge, July 6 t
o play an outdoor show at Spitz Stadium with special guest Shane Chisholm.
“ My Suntan City is playing at a huge outdoor show before a large crowd shooting water guns and holding their beers in the air,” observed Pritchett, who has topped the charts with lots of catchy country songs like “Hold My Beer (While I Kiss Your Girlfriend,” “Big Wheel” “Hard To Miss” and “ Lucky For Me,” and many others
“ But my Suntan city is a beach. I always try to hit a beach. My suntan city moment is driving a convertible with the top down along a beach,” he said, adding Pentiction, B.C. would be his “suntan city” of choice.
“I’m from the west coast, so I’m a bit biased. But Penticton, on the Okanagan Lake, that’s where I’d like to drive along a beach in a convertible,” he said.
Country star Luke Bryan co-wrote and recorded Suntan City in 2011, but wasn’t going to release it to the radio, so as soon as Pritchett heard it, he decided he had to record it.
“ I was played it by my manager and he said it wasn’t going to be released to radio,” Pritchett related.
“ I loved it as soon as I heard it and thought right there that it deserves to get played on the radio,” he continued adding after some discussions with Bryan’s people, Pritchett got the go ahead to re-record it, and change a few phrases. It was an instant success.
“It’s nice to be back on the charts again,” he said.
He is excited about coming back to Southern Alberta to play Lethbridge, July 6 and Calgary, July 8.
“I’ve always considered myself to be an entertainer first, more than a singer or musician. At least that’s the idea. I think I do an okay job,” he said.
He plans on compiling a lot of his new songs into a new album he plans to record in the fall, but for now is releasing a couple summer themed songs including “Suntan City and “Summertime.”
He is excited about his 90 minute set which will include the hits, songs from throughout his career plus the new singles.
“ it has been tough out there, so I hope to come and bring a few smiles and a lot of fun for the audience,” he said.
He has written most of his biggest hits, but keeps an ear out for other potential hits.
“My writing process has definitely changes. I’ve been writing with a lot of other guys.
Some of them have a title and most of it worked out, others just have a title or an idea and it takes an hour or two to finish a song. I always try to be prepared. When I write alone, I can take a lot more time to do it,” he said.
“ With other people’s songs, I look for a title people can shout along with. And I always want to make sure my audience can identify with the song. I also want to be able to make it an Aaron Pritchett song. Like with Suntan City. I knew it was going to be a hit. My guesses have been right so far,” he said.
He has embraced the internet to sell his music. Website like Itunes and cdbaby are always great ways to get his music out there.
“But I always sell a lot of CDs off the stage too, he said.
In addition to his website http://www.aaron-pritchett.com, he also has an active Facebook presence as well as on Twitter https://twitter.com/aaronpritchett.
“I’m always on Twitter,“ he said.
The gates open at 6 p.m., July 6 with the show beginning at 7 p.m. Tickets are $30 in advance, $40 at the gate.
— By Richard Amery, L.A. Beat Editor
