The soulful, alternative, and up-beat singer/songwriter Mat Kearney is a busy man these days. On Saturday, he’ll be in town performing at the Nokia Theatre to wrap up the eleven week tour. “I love coming to LA...[it’s] one of the coolest cities,” says Kearney. 

The tour covered 48 different cities and some of the biggest venues including- his favorite- Red Rocks in Colorado. “It’s Legendary” He says about the amphitheater. “The Beetles played there in 1964, literally every band you could ever think of has played there. From Springsteen to Tom Petty, all of my heros have played there.” 

On stage, Kearney performs a crowd favorite, ‘Nothing left to lose,’ his first single that launched him onto the charts back in 2006. His more recent songs like ‘Ships in the Night’ and ‘Hey Mama’ also really get the crowd going and resonate with a younger audience. 

When he’s not touring, Kearney admits he’s still always writing music. “I’m a workaholic,” he says. “I’m probably always in my studio writing songs.”

He’s been traveling a lot too! (As if 48 different cities in eleven weeks wasn’t enough!) “When your on tour, you’re working so much that sometimes you don’t get to see as much as you’d like,” Kearney said.

As far as inspiration goes, Kearney got married this past year and admits a lot of his songs from his most recent album, Young Love, were inspired by love. “There’s definitely that butterflies in the stomach feel. There’s that two people coming together and really falling in love with each other theme.” The newlyweds could be seen together in his most recent video for the song ‘Ships in the night’. 

Kearney also admitted to being pregnant. No- not with a baby,- (relax ladies!) but with new material. “I’m only like a month pregnant,” says Kearney. “I’m not really talking about it yet, I don’t know what the name of it is, or what sex it is. I know there’s something brewing but I’m not quite sure what it is yet.” 

Here's more on the Interview with Mat Kearney: 

You’ve been on tour all summer with train. How did that opportunity come about? Were you excited when you got the news? 

“Yes I was. Agents and managers ask around looking for people that support the tour. When I heard that there was a bunch of amazing shows and that we were going to play Red Rocks I was like ‘Heck Yeah!’”

 Are you a Train fan?

“They write some great songs. I’ve toured with them before, on my first record. I love some of their songs. They’re like masters at pop hits.” 

 What has being on the road with them been like?

“It’s a long tour. Almost eleven weeks. It’s a long time to be gone, but it’s been a amazing. The size of some of the crowds and the opportunity to get in front of all those people. I also really enjoy coming to the west coast this time of year. To me, it’s like a trip home. I grew up in Oregon and went to school in Northern California so it’s different from Nashville.” 

 What do you do when your not on tour? 

“I’m a workaholic so I’m probably in my studio writing songs. I also like to travel. Sometimes when your on tour your working so much that sometimes you don’t get to see as much as you’d like.”

 Favorite venue on this tour? 

Red Rocks. It’s Legendary. The Beetles played there in 1964, literally every band you could ever thin of has played there. From Springsteen to Tom Petty, all of my heros have played there. 

 Are you excited to be at the Nokia Theatre this Saturday? 

“I am. Yeah, I love coming to LA. I have a lot of friends. LA is one of the coolest cities.”

What songs get the most reaction from the crowd? 

“Nothing Left to lose, that’s my fist single and it put me one the map so if people don’t know who I am, I’ll play it and they’re like ‘oh, you’re that guy!’ ‘Ships in the Night’ and ‘Hey Mama’ has really resonated with a younger audience so there’s definitely some excitement when I play those too.”

Do you ever get nervous before going on stage? 

“Going on TV is nerve-wracking. Like playing Jimmel Kimmel. That stuff is nerve-wracking cause you literally wait around all day to play one song. But as far as shows, I don’t get nervous anymore. I get excited.” 

Does anything ever go wrong on the road? 

“Stuff goes wrong all the time! Buses break down and then you have to pay 7 people into an SUV and drive just to make it in time for sound check. Stuff is always breaking, but it’s just part of the deal. There’s always handy people there that keep stuff going.”

What was your inspiration for Young Love?

“I wanted to make a fun record. I got married this year so there’s definitely that butterflies in the stomach feel. There’s that two people coming together and really falling in love with each other theme. I know it’s a simple theme but it still really resonates with people.”

Can we expect a new album anytime soon? Are you in the works of new stuff? 

“I think I’m like pregnant. But I’m only like a month pregnant, so I’m not really talking about it yet, I don’t know what the name of it is or what sex it is. I know there’s something brewing but I’m not quite sure what it is yet.”

We read somewhere that you go parties a lot in college, Is that true? 

[Laughs] “Yes, I did. I think that’s true for 99% of the population in Chico.”

More on Mat Kearney here. 

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