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).
Somewhere in the Middle
Josh Ward Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She was having second thoughts about a man who was always gone
Said the only way to get to him was a telephone
So she held on to me while she couldn′t hold her own
She said I can be had, but I can't be bought
And I can be bad Lord, if I don′t get caught
But I'd rather be loved and left alone
She said you know I never was the kind to spread it around
But I'll let you get to me as long as you don′t let me down
She said I got the kind of love it takes to make it real slow
But I don′t care how you get me there just as long as I go
She said I can be had, but I can't be bought
And I can be bad Lord, if I don′t get caught
But I'd rather be loved and left alone
Than be here in the middle somewhere between right and wrong
Yeah it′s her kind of love that keeps me coming back time after time
Just like a beautiful song I can't get off my mind
But I worry a lot about love that you have to wait on
And I got second thoughts about a woman that′s always gone
She said I can be had, but I can't be bought
And I can be bad Lord, if I don't get caught
But I′d rather be loved and left alone
Than be here in the middle somewhere between right and wrong
Josh Ward's song "Somewhere in the Middle" tells the story of a woman who meets the singer in a small town bar when she is having second thoughts about a man who is always gone. She holds on to the singer while confessing that the only way to get to the man she's been thinking about is through a telephone. The woman asserts that she knows herself well, acknowledging that she can be had, but not bought. She also speaks about her sense of self-worth, expressing that she is capable of bad behavior but would rather be loved and left alone. The singer is drawn to her kind of love, but worries about being with someone who is always gone.
The song speaks to the need for authenticity in relationships. The woman in the song is honest about what she wants and expects from the singer, even though her desires may not be conventional or morally unambiguous. She knows that she values love and independence more than being in a relationship that's somewhere between right and wrong. The singer, in his turn, is being honest with himself about his worries and concerns. He is looking for a love that is not dependent on someone else's whims or schedule.
Overall, "Somewhere in the Middle" is a poignant song that captures the complexities of relationships. It underscores the importance of being honest about one's needs and desires, and the need to find a love that is true and genuine.
Line by Line Meaning
Well I met her in a small town bar not far from home
I encountered her in a local pub close to where I dwell
She was having second thoughts about a man who was always gone
She was unsure about her relationship with a man who was frequently absent
Said the only way to get to him was a telephone
The only contact medium she had with him was through phone calls
So she held on to me while she couldn′t hold her own
She clung onto me when she needed support and was incapable of handling things on her own
She said I can be had, but I can't be bought
She indicated that she was available, but not unscrupulous to be paid for
And I can be bad Lord, if I don′t get caught
She implied that she might behave immorally if she won't be caught
But I'd rather be loved and left alone
She preferred to be shown affection and then to be left to herself
Than be here in the middle somewhere between right and wrong
She would rather be clear on her moral standing than to be in an uncertain middle ground
She said you know I never was the kind to spread it around
She said that she was not the kind of woman that has many casual romantic partners
But I'll let you get to me as long as you don′t let me down
She would permit me to pursue her emotionally if I won't disappoint her
She said I got the kind of love it takes to make it real slow
She shared that she would like to engage in a romantic relationship that will progress slowly
But I don′t care how you get me there just as long as I go
She communicated that as long as we reach the point of a deeper relationship, the journey would not matter
Yeah it′s her kind of love that keeps me coming back time after time
It is her manner of affection that entices me back regularly
Just like a beautiful song I can't get off my mind
Her love is comparable to a lovely melody that persistently runs in my thoughts
But I worry a lot about love that you have to wait on
I am often concerned about relationships that require one to be patient and waiting for a long time
And I got second thoughts about a woman that′s always gone
I have doubts about a lady that is frequently unavailable
She said I can be had, but I can't be bought
She reiterated that she was open to affection, but not commerce
And I can be bad Lord, if I don't get caught
She stated that she has a willingness to act immorally when there is no chance of getting caught
But I′d rather be loved and left alone
She once again declared that she prefers affection then being solitary
Than be here in the middle somewhere between right and wrong
She stated again that she would rather be clear on her moral stance than being morally ambiguous
Writer(s): Earl Thomas Conley
Contributed by Emily A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.