Josh Turner: This Country Music Thing Tour

With Opener Will Jones

Twenty-plus years after a truly epic debut, MCA Nashville recording artist Josh Turner is still as clear and consistent as ever. But as the South Carolina native knows, “consistent” has never meant “static.” Turner has seen the trends come and go and soldiered through the ups and downs of an often fickle business. He’s stayed true to himself and, with his 10th studio album This Country Music Thing, he’s in a sweet spot of creative confidence. 

Since his stunning introduction on the Grand Ole Opry stage in 2001 (where fans demanded an encore from the unknown artist), this once-in-a-generation vocalist has proven to have a rumbling voice that never falters. With timeless songs like “Long Black Train” and “Why Don’t We Just Dance,” Turner’s global reach has surpassed 5.8 billion global streams, 6.5 million album sales, and almost 12 million track sales worldwide. Turner’s album Long Black Train celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2023 and was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America with nearly 1.5 million album sales, 1.3 million track downloads, and almost 315 million life-to-date streams. The lead single of the same name was also certified Platinum. 

“This is who I am. This is who I was born to be — it’s something that feeds me and fulfills me, and I’ve never lost my love for this,” Turner says. “When I first started, my goal was to just be myself and sing songs that meant something to me. To keep the tradition of country alive, but at the same time, make it fresh, make it new. I feel like it gets more challenging over time, but at the end of the day, it’s worth it.”

This Country Music Thing features 11 new tracks. Three feature Turner as a writer, and two were penned solo as the gifted singer-songwriter continues honing his message. Other tracks were sourced from a mix of longtime hitmakers who know Turner’s style and new voices who help convey a different aspect of the man behind the mic. The new voices bring fresh energy to familiar themes like all-consuming attraction, down-home pride, and deep gratitude. Pairing the hard twang of telecasters with driving rhythms, prominent fiddle-and-steel licks, and saloon-style piano, the vibrant mix is still led by Turner’s cavernous vocals — a showcase not just of the depths it can sink to, but also its dynamic, road-tested grit.

To Turner, the title track serves as the album’s creative hub — a solo-written tribute to his career and state of mind. Like an autobiography, it spells out his whole story from early ambition and reverence for the craft to his continued success and appreciation for the fans who make it so. With a booming “low-country sound” and classic honky-tonk stomp, it also allows Turner a bit of a victory lap, highlighting his status with some uncharacteristic (but well-earned) swagger. Turner has a rock-solid dedication to traditional roots and an unshakable focus on craftsman quality. 

Turner has been nominated for three Gospel Music Association (GMA) Dove Awards and won his first GMA Dove Award in 2021 for “I Saw The Light” featuring Sonya Isaacs, off his I Serve a Savior album. He’s been nominated for two Grammy Awards, five CMA Awards, two ACM Awards, one CMT Award, seven ACA Awards, and has received six Inspirational Country Music Awards. To support music and arts education, he created The Josh Turner Scholarship Fund for the Arts to help students pursue their studies in these fields.