We take you behind the scenes and explore the making of one of our favorite tunes with The Song Remembers When…
Last year, back in March, Jon Pardi had a three-week number one called “Dirt on My Boots.” Love that song! It was co-written by Rhett Akins, Ashley Gorley, and Jesse Frasure.
It was Ashley and Jesse who had this pop-leaning track and they needed a country lyric and knew Rhett Akins was their guy. When Rhett showed up to the appointment, he noticed his truck was covered in mud because it was hunting season. So, he walked in with the idea of “mud on my truck.” But, when they noticed how dirty Rhett’s cowboy boots were, the song turned into “dirt on my boots.”
Rhett said that they wanted this to be about a guy who went from working on his tractor to picking up his girl for a night out on the town, a guy who was considerate enough to kick the dirt off his boots before walking into her house.
When the track was pitched to Jon Pardi, it was just too pop for him, and it had this techno-sounding chorus. But, Jon’s producer, Bart Butler, heard past that. And, after changing the music to fit Jon, they knew they had a hit.
The song stayed at the top of the charts for three straight weeks!
Here’s The Song Remembers When – Jon Pardi and “Dirt on My Boots.”