An anchored mindset that has led this Texas country music rising star from a drifter’s adolescence to the jeopardous game of the rodeo circuit to the punishing toil of the Texas oil fields, and on into the fickle arms of the music business. Some might argue whether it is having nine consecutive #1 hit singles in Texas under his belt that has garnered him staying power, or that he is killing it in the social media world with over 2 million views on YouTube and over 3 million streams globally on Spotify. Maybe it’s his 3 venerated album releases, or maybe because he can not only bat a full house on a 200 plus dates a year touring average, but also rope in crowds on a first time performance in an unfamiliar town. While impressive, all those distinctions can come and go in the world of music. The reason for his staying power turns out to be quite a simple one. And that is because Josh Ward is country music blood to bone, and both Josh Ward and country music are simply not going to go away.
Josh spent 2017 heavily touring off the strength of his previous album “Holding Me Together.” All six radio singles hit the #1 spot on the Texas Regional Radio Chart and Ward quickly found himself going from opening act to the headlining spot in a matter of months. But in the midst of his growing popularity, he gladly bent the knee to fellow country music artist and comrade Cody Johnson who introduced Ward to his West Coast audiences. Getting the chance to be endorsed by Cody Johnson and perform at sold out shows in brand new markets is the kind of opportunity music artists chomp at the bit to have. When Ward and his band returned to those areas a few months later all by their lonesome, he simply could not have guessed at the reception he would encounter. “When we went back to the West Coast by ourselves, it was sold out shows. I was literally blown away.” It was at that very point while far away from his familiar stomping grounds in Texas with new fans slapping him on the back that Ward knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that his music was catching on in a big way.
The culmination of his radio success and his victories out on the road can easily be attributed to the actual man behind the music. In life, sometimes a person gets dealt a lean hand and has to choose his family from strangers along the way, people who make a conscious choice to take you under their wing and help guide you through life. Ward considers himself a very lucky man despite some rough teenage years. The love and support of his extended family and his chosen family was the concrete foundation he built
his life on, and his fans are a big part of that. It’s why they are drawn to him through the speakers, because he is what he sings. It’s why they are drawn to him from the stage, because he’s an old friend who’s come back to visit. He’s the animated truth of all he stands for, a self-made family man who always has a welcome smile and an open spot in the family. To his loyal fans he feels he owes everything. “Words can’t describe the emotion that gets put into these runs and the work that we do. And these people pay their hard earned money to see it every night. Thank you. Every time I step on stage, you guys remind me that I have more than I deserve.” And so his brand new album, so aptly named, is Ward’s dedication to his growing family.
“More Than I Deserve” marks Ward’s fourth full length album release and it will greet the fans on May 4, 2018. With the philosophy of “don’t fix what isn’t broken,” Ward went right back into the Rosewood studios where he recorded all his previous releases and joined producer Greg Hunt once again behind the board to create the next dimension of Josh Ward country music. The new album is 11 tracks strong featuring the signature instrumentation from guys like John Carroll (Cory Morrow) on guitar, Nate Coon (Aaron Watson) on drums, Milo Deering (The Eagles) on acoustic guitar, steel, dobro, fiddle, viola and mandolin, and Terry McBride (McBride and The Ride) on backing vocals and also writer of three of the tracks. The album is classic Josh Ward style on every front with just a little more gusto and a little more miles on it. Full bodied and emotionally fragrant, every song jumps out kicking up the kind of country music nostalgia Ward is revered for. The first single “All About Lovin’” (written by Brice Long, Terry McBride and Chris Stapleton) tells you everything you need to know about this album, a sexy tonkafied driver of a song that guarantees you’ll be lacing up your dancing shoes by the time you hit the chorus. “Home Away From Home” is country piled on top of more country, and is, as the song says, “a two steppin’ juke box heaven.” While Ward has never been afraid to sing other people’s songs due to his belief that a good song simply needs to be heard, his own savvy for the art just so happens to be represented on three of the most powerful tracks. “A Cowboy Can” is the true grit of this album and is what Ward says best describes himself. “One More Shot Of Whiskey” is a sobering tale told with 90 proof conviction, and then there is “More Than I Deserved” ringing out with its vulnerable steel and head hanging resolve. “More Than I Deserve” is country music addiction in its purest form. Josh Ward did not reinvent the wheel here, but damn, it’s polished surface sure rides smooth.
Josh and his band will be seeing a lot more of the country this year hitting a lot of new places on his never ending tour. It’s still hard for him to believe he has come this far and he doesn’t take one mile of it for granted. “I never thought I would be rolling down the road with one of the hottest bands in Texas playing shows across the United States. I’m happy to be here.”
The Josh Ward band is Josh Ward (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Steve Cargill (bass), Justin Cogneato (drums), Woody Woodruff (lead guitar) and Glen Shankle (steel guitar).
Hard Whiskey
Josh Ward Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My old hat
Is telling me she's had enough
yeah, she ain't coming back
Picture on the wall
Staring back at me
It's burning a hole right through my soul
I'm headed out the door
To do all the wrong things right
Cause there's only one thing
That'll get me through this night
All I need is hard whiskey,
A soft place to fall
A jukebox full of George Jones songs
Hey, I won't miss her at all
All I need is hard whiskey
And just a little time
Hey, one more drink
And I'll be doing fine
I've always said her leaving
Would never get to me
So I turned to the whiskey
To drown her memory
Brown poison in a black label bottle
Sure burns going down
But it's better than the pain I feel
Wishing she was still around
Maybe someday, well I'll find a better way
And she'll come back to me, but it won't be today
All I need is hard whiskey,
A soft place fall
A jukebox full of George Jones songs
Hey, I won't miss her at all
All I need is hard whiskey
And just a little time
Hey one more drink,
And I'll be doing fine
Oh yeah, I'll be doing fine
Woah, I'll be doing fine
Yeah I'll be doing fine
The lyrics of Josh Ward's song, Hard Whiskey, narrate the emotions of someone who has been left by their loved one and is struggling to cope with the pain of that separation. The opening lines are a vivid depiction of the pain that the singer is feeling, as he talks about a goodbye letter and an old hat indicating that his lover is not coming back. The picture on the wall staring back at him symbolizes the memories of his lover that he is trying to erase.
The chorus of the song speaks about the singer's coping mechanism - hard whiskey. He believes that whiskey is the only thing that can get him through the night and he needs a soft place to fall, referring to a comforting and non-judgmental environment. He also mentions needing a jukebox full of George Jones songs, indicating that he finds solace in music during this tough time.
However, the singer's dependence on hard whiskey to get him through this crisis is not a sustainable solution, as it only helps him numb the pain temporarily. Towards the end of the song, he mentions his hope of finding a better way to cope with his loss and hoping that she will come back to him someday. Overall, it is a poignant and relatable song about heartbreak and the ways people try to cope with it.
Line by Line Meaning
A goodbye letter
The song starts off by emphasizing that the writer has received a goodbye letter and is now deeply hurt because of it.
My old hat
The hat he wears is a metaphor for himself – it is old and worn out, just like he feels after the ending of his relationship.
Is telling me she's had enough
His hat symbolizes his past and it telling him that his relationship has reached its limit and he must move on.
yeah, she ain't coming back
He has accepted the fact that his partner is no longer interested in him or the relationship and there is no hope of reconciliation.
Picture on the wall
The picture that he sees on the wall symbolizes the memories he shared with his ex-partner and the feelings they no longer share.
Staring back at me
The picture is haunting him, making him realize that he still has feelings for her.
It's burning a hole right through my soul
The memory of their relationship is painful and hard to bear, making him feel like his insides are on fire.
Man it brings me to my knees
The pain and suffering he feels is overwhelming and making him feel powerless.
I'm headed out the door
The writer is now leaving his current situation to find a way to deal with his emotional pain and dull the hurt he feels.
To do all the wrong things right
He is aware that he is making bad decisions but is choosing to do so anyway to deal with his breakup.
Cause there's only one thing
He knows that the only thing that can make him feel better, at least temporarily, is consuming hard whiskey.
That'll get me through this night
Whiskey is his coping mechanism and it's the only thing that can help him forget his problems for a short time.
All I need is hard whiskey,
The writer has realized that he doesn't need anything else but hard whiskey to help him get over his breakup.
A soft place to fall
He doesn't need anyone to talk to, but rather a place to rest and heal his pain from the effect of alcohol.
A jukebox full of George Jones songs
He seeks solace in the music of George Jones who has written many songs about heartbreak and coping with loss.
Hey, I won't miss her at all
He finds comfort in the thought of not missing his ex-partner if he has all of these things to make him forget her.
And just a little time
He knows that all he needs is some time alone to figure things out and to properly heal his emotional pain.
Hey one more drink,
He knows he has had enough, but he also knows that one more drink won't hurt him.
And I'll be doing fine
With a little more time and consumption of hard whiskey, he will slowly start to forget his past and start to feel better.
Brown poison in a black label bottle
Whiskey is seen as a poison that can take over his mind and body, and its black label hinting at it being a negative force in his life.
Sure burns going down
Despite it being what he needs to get over the pain, consuming whiskey is both physically and emotionally painful.
But it's better than the pain I feel
As much as the whiskey burns going down, the pain it relieves is much more tolerable than the emotional pain he feels without it.
Wishing she was still around
Even though he tries to forget his ex-partner with a combination of music and whiskey, he still misses her and longs for her presence in his life.
Maybe someday, well I'll find a better way
He still has faith that things will get better with time, and he will find a healthier way to cope with the breakup.
And she'll come back to me, but it won't be today
He knows that it's unlikely for his ex-partner to come back to him in this state, as he isn't ready to let go of everything.
Oh yeah, I'll be doing fine
The writer wants to assure himself that he will be doing better in the future, with or without his ex-partner.
Woah, I'll be doing fine
Repeated again for reassurance that he will be okay in due time.
Contributed by Jayce G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.