Jimmie Allen Co-Hosts 2/5-6

This week, Lon Helton is off, and in his place is Brad Paisley, who co-hosts with Jimmie Allen.  The two have a Top 5 this week with “Freedom Was a Highway.”  They did the co-hosting in Brad’s bar, and it turns out that was the place where Jimmie first played Brad “Freedom” almost exactly two years ago.

Jimmie remembers: “I played the Opry, and Brad texted me, ‘After the Opry, come over to the house.’  So I went over, it was me, Brad, Darius, and Tim McGraw sitting in a circle in the exact chairs we’re sitting in now, playing new songs. I played Freedom Was a Highway that night.  Brad started noodling on his guitar, and it reminded me of old school Brad Paisley.”  Brad added, “I said yes to the collaboration that night.”

Also at Brad’s bar that night was Tim McGraw.  Brad recalls: “When Jimmie first came here, literally at the moment he pulled up, he asked, ‘who’s that on the front yard,’ and I said, ‘That’s Tim McGraw, taking a leak in the front yard.’ That was the last time I would have a group in this bar for two years!”

Just a week ago, Jimmie was performing at Luke Bryan’s Crash My Playa in Mexico.  Jimmie remembers: “I’ve been wanting to play that for a long time. It was great, seeing all those people having a good time, it was nuts, it was so crazy.  Got to hang with Luke, he came over to watch our show, we hung out, he’s everybody’s friend.”

Brad asked Jimmie about his time on Dancing With The Stars: “I was talking to the wardrobe department, and I told them I like to be hands-on. I like to design.  So I helped them design my outfits.  My dancing might be terrible, but they’ll remember my outfits.  I made it farther than I thought I would have.”  Did you keep any outfits? “I did.  My gold jacket that I wore the night I went home is in the Country Music Hall of Fame right now.  Great experience.” 

Brad congratulated Jimmie on winning the CMA New Artist award: “I didn’t think I was going to win.  I was sitting there with some chew in my mouth.  When they called my name, I needed to find a place to spit out my dip.  I turned around, spit my dip out on the floor, then I kissed my wife and went up to get the award. To win an award was actually mind-blowing and life changing for me.”

Jimmie also has great stories this week about Chris Young, Lainey Wilson, Lee Brice, Scotty McCreery, Keith Urban, and Jordan Davis.

Category: CO-HOST