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5 Questions With Pat Green About New Album, Turning 50, Touring & More

Pat Green just hit a major milestone. The proud son of Texas turned 50 years old on April 5. Pat commemorated the big 5-0 in a big way with a birthday bash at Billy Bob’s Texas. And he’s not slowing down.

Now, Pat is teasing the release of his upcoming album, Miles and Miles of You, by sharing a few of the project’s new tunes, including the title track, “Build You a Bar,” and “All in This Together,” featuring Abby Anderson. In addition, the country music veteran has a number of tour dates lined up this spring and summer, including Austin’s ACL Live at the Moody Theater on April 23.

Outsider caught up to Pat Green to ask him 5 Questions about the big 5-0, his upcoming album, touring, and more.

1. What’s on your bucket list now that you’re 50?

Pat Green: My only accomplishment that I want to see happen is to hit the big 6-0. I think that’s pretty much it for me [laughing], then I can reassess to the big 7-0. I’ve never claimed to be a Hall of Famer. I just try to make people drink a few beers and have some fun.

2. The new album sounds fun. Was it a fun project to make?

Pat Green: Definitely. At the end of the day, creativity really got me back on track [during the pandemic]. Getting in the studio and making a record and just working. This will be our first full record in, man, I want to say it’s been five or six years since I made a record. I feel like the songs that are on this project are fantastic.

3. Where did the title track and album name, ‘Miles and Miles of You,’ come from?

Pat Green: The title track is a song I didn’t write. Jon Randall wrote that song. We were in Pittsburgh playing at Heinz Field with Kenny Chesney [2005]. Jon came out to the show and was sitting on my bus. I turned on my recorder, which was actually a recorder at the time, and captured him playing this song that he had just written called “Miles and Miles of You.” Through time, I ended up putting it on my computer. I always loved it and listened to it, but I played it for the band when we went in the studio in 2021. And I said, “Man, I don’t know what y’all think about this.” And everybody says, “Yeah, we’ve got to cut that song.” That’s how we ended up with it on this record. And I just think it’s such a beautiful song. Jon is so talented, as you know.

4. What’s your mindset making this new album after releasing more than a dozen studio and live albums over the last 25 years?

Pat Green: We’ve had something like 14 Top 40 hits. I think, for the most part, people have found the experience they want out of my brain. Out of my creative life. But there’s some out there that I think still enjoy the newer material, so I’m really doing that to service me and to service those unique individuals that really like the creative side. I don’t know, man, I’ll put it this way. The Rising in 2002 was my favorite Bruce Springsteen record. That was after a million songs. There are people out there that like new music. And I feel like the songs that are on this project are fantastic.

5. I’m still spinning everything from 1997’s ‘George’s Bar’ to 2015’s ‘Home.’ Do you ever listen to your old catalog?

Pat Green: I really appreciate it when it feels like my work means something to people. So yeah, I do appreciate that. I think like any artist, and I really hesitate to call myself an artist, because I just think of myself as a guy. But I think anybody who’s creative for a living really does try to improve every time you make a new record. You always try to put your best foot forward. I still love Home. That’s one of the few ones that I don’t mind listening to. A lot of my records, I’m just like “eh” [laughing]. But they all get played on tour [laughing].