Josh Ward - Same Ol' Cowboy Different Rodeo

Back in the Saddle. Josh Ward survived near death. Now he's back with new music.

Transcribed from New England Country’s Podcast interview with Josh Mattei. Edited for length and clarity.

JM: Do you have any, real life examples where you’ve kind of had to put that quote or mantra into play?

JW: Yeah, a few times here lately I’ve had to tell myself “Hey! Come on. Let’s get it live.” Live by what you preach. Three years ago this August, I had a pretty dang bad horse accident. It put me down for several months and truth be told, even after a year and a half - almost two years - it still wasn’t right. But I was out performing. I had a horse step on me at my place, and by the time I got to the hospital I had almost bled out. Bleeding internally. I didn’t know it, waited around, finished up chores, and so dang, I better get to the hospital. So they get in there. They opened me up and got one foot of small intestine out and then put me back together. Two months later, I was back on the horse. And, about that same time, I got back to playing music and playing shows. I knew that if I took off any more than what I had to that my band and my crew would suffer. That’s not something that I take lightly. The band, my crew, they’re my family. Everybody’s got to eat. So, when you have to pull yourself up by your bootstraps and go - Hey, it’s a little bit. We can make it through a 90 minute show, so let’s do it. I lived on the canned oxygen. My stage manager would wrap them in black gaff tape. That way they’re not seen from the crowd. I would sing a song, go back there and take a puff. A couple of puffs off that fresh air can and get back at it. I’m proud to say that we’re back at it full force and healthier than I’ve ever been. I’m looking at life differently. There’s been quite a few times I’ve had some close calls like that, but that one really opened me up to - Hey, you’re not 18 anymore. You’re not invincible. So let’s slow down, look at the finer things in life, and live a little longer.

JM: That accident definitely showcased how tough you are because your doctors compared that accident to a really bad car accident, and you were already like - right away - how do I get out of this bed and get back to work?

JW: Yeah. I was asking the next morning how long would it before we get back to work. I was telling my tour manager at the time, hey, man, I’m going to dust myself off be back at it next week. Keep the fires on. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out that way. I was steadily chomping at the bit to get back to normal. Get back to what my life was all about. That was sitting on the back of the horse and being able to ride. Get back to playing music. Writing music. Putting records out. COVID slowed us on this record that we just released. It set us back. Wow. And then, we had the horse wreck in August and it set us back another small patch. That’s the way it is, man. Just live out - All grit. No quit. And try to put out the best music that we can. This new record coming out, it’s going to be something else.

JM: I’m excited for this new album. You mentioned, between the accident and COVID, this album took four years in the making, right?

JW: Yeah, it’s been a long time coming. Right about four years. Dang, we didn’t know the whole world was going to shut down. We didn’t know I was going to get thrown off. I can honestly tell you that me, myself, the spiritual man that I am - it’s all in God’s timing. That’s the way I look at it. Maybe it wasn’t time for me to put out that record. We can blame it on the economy or whatever, but there’s a reason this record is special. It took everything that I had to put it together. It took everything that I had to write the songs. It took everything that I had to come back from that, and we’re finally getting to see it. Every song that is on that record myself, Drew Hall, Kerry West, we produced that record. So if there’s a flaw, if there’s a glitch, if there’s whatever, it’s on us. I can say that about this record - and not being boastful at all, because I’m the most humble guy you’ll ever meet - but that’s my work. And if it’s a flaw in there, I’ll admit that I did it. But me listening to it and the rest of the people that’s got to hear it, it’s pretty dang special. It’s the first record I’ve been able to sit down and listen to in its entirety, without skipping it being my own record. You dive into records and start hearing what you wish you would have done. Right? This one here is just special. The guys that played on it: Nate Coon from Aaron Watson. All the boys from Aaron Watson’s camp was on it. Travis Bishop plays keys for Neil McCoy. Guitar player, Bryce [Clarke]. He was with Aaron’s band. We even brought Steve Murray in. I don’t know if you remember Perfect Stranger. You Have the Right to Remain Silent. That song.

JM: I’ve heard of it. I don’t know if I’ve heard the song, but I’ve heard the band name.

JW: Do yourself a favor and download Perfect Stranger - The Hits. That is country music right there. Steve Murray was the lead singer of Perfect Stranger. This guy, playing acoustic guitar is like a freaking Rolex watch. He is put together and his timing isn’t off. And I got to invite Uncle Steve back in, and he played rhythm guitar on the back part of the record. It’s like all the stars aligned. Every puzzle piece was there. This record is everything that I ever thought it’d be. So that’s my little rant. My brag on my own record. But it ain’t bragging. It’s just being proud of it.

JM: It sounds like this is a new chapter for you.

JW: It is. It’s a whole new big chapter. A lot of different ways. We’re seeing doors open that we’ve never had before. We’ve got a great band and everything’s clicking down the road. Good prayers are being answered. Heck, that’s all you can ask for. If we go hit a lick this year and we can we can do better than we did last year, I’m happy. If we go hit a lick and somebody wants to sign me to a major deal? You never know the answer to that. You know, I’ve known guys signed deals that sit there and was best thing they ever did. There’s guys who say, I don’t know what I did. I just know that if something good comes along, I ain’t going to turn my nose up at it. But it’s in due time, I guess. Good Lord willing and the creek don’t rise. We’ll have something good at the end of the year.

JM: With the stories that you’ve shared, it seems like the title track - Same Ol’ Cowboy, Different Rodeo - That must have a very deep meaning for you.

JW: Yeah. In my mindset, I’m still 18. I might not do what I used to. I might not do what I used to as well anymore, but same old cowboy, a different rodeo. We still got a song. We still got to show that and just living life day to day living. Right? Trying to do right by you and everybody else.

JM: For, people that are excited about this album, three songs are already out: Dancing with the Devil, Same Ol’ Cowboy, Different Rodeo and Lovin’ Where It’s Going. Those three are already out and then you’re going to be putting out a couple more right before the actual release date.

JW: Right before the actual release date. We’ll have this one. It’s out right now. Same Ol’ Cowboy, Different Rodeo. Here in the next, shoot, probably next 4 or 5 days, we will release another one. That’s going to be Honky Tonk Time that Jake Worthington and I wrote. The last one in December before the full length record drops in January, it’s going to be Better on a Barstool. That’s the song that Brice Long and Randall King had written that I got a hold of. That’s pretty beer joint anthem. We’re getting open up the NFR, the National Finals Rodeo in December. That’s going to be our opening song. It’s going to tie in well with the release of that single and the release of the record.

JM: You have some pretty impressive co-writers on some of these songs, right?

JW: Oh, yeah. I think they’re some of the best writers in the world. Wyatt McCubbin, he’s from a little town - Selma, Ohio - and he lives in Nashville now. He and his wife - and two new babies now - this guy is one of the best writer writers that I’ve had the privilege of writing with. And, friend of mine, Jake Worthington. Flew up there to his mom and dad’s house, and there’s about three foot of snow out on the ground. I’ve never seen snow like that. They welcomed me in like family. We went out there to that little cabin wrote six off that whole record and had a dang good time. I’ve got Terry McBride. Sam Banks. Jacob Boyd. The list goes on. All these guys are good at their craft. They’re young guys, too. I wrote together with Ronnie Vance. He’s just a great writer, too. I’ve had the pleasure of surrounding myself with some of the greatest writers ever. When you get to write a good one and it does good, they don’t mind coming back and writing a few more. You make lifelong friends by doing that. I was on the phone with Carson Chamberlain today talking to him about a Zach Top song that he had sent me awhile back. I said, Hey, I know Zach’s blowing up pretty good, but, I need you to check on that song for me because I’m pretty interested getting it. Just want to make sure Zach didn’t have a hold on it because, he’s doing pretty dang good for yourself.

JM: He’s awesome. Yeah. Is there anything else that you’d like people to know about the new album.

JW: It drops January 17th. It’s the full length record. Share it. Share it with your mom. Share it with the grandkids. We want it to do good this year. We got a lot of folks that worked hard on this record that deserve it. So yeah. Share it. Give it away. TT