A native of Louisiana, most of Austin Tolliver‘s life has been filled with hours on the gridiron which isn’t all that surprising when you’re the son of former NFL quarterback Billy Joe Tolliver. The skill to play the game is definitely sewn into A.T’s genes as he found success in college and arena football, eyeing up the national league. But as things go in life, priorities changed and he found himself in Music City, with a new kind of touchdown to score. He’s handled the music industry like he did football, going all-in and scoring a deal with Average Joes Entertainment and his debut single “Tip My Hat” in 2020. Now he’s back with a new steamy single “Yodelay You Down” released on March 15.
We caught up with Tolliver to talk about his football days and his move to Nashville, the new song and more.
CN: For our readers who may not be familiar with you, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
AT: I am the Conor McGregor of this music biz. I’m not here to just take part, I am here to take over. My music is a reflection of my view of country music and what country is to me. Everyone has their own definition or interpretation of what country is, but for me it’s about telling stories, not taking s**t from anyone while still saying “yes ma’am” and “no sir,” and holding the door open. You can be a good ‘ole boy and still want to win.
CN: As we hit the one-year mark of COVID-19, we hope everyone in your circle is safe and healthy. How are you holding up?
AT: Thankfully, everyone in my circle made out fine. We didn’t really have any Covid issues and kept on grinding right through the pandemic. I know that isn’t the case for most, but for us we were able to keep turning dreams into realities during this thing.
CN: Music wasn’t your first path to pursue as a career. Football runs in your genes and you were on route towards a professional career as you were playing arena football while attending New Mexico State University.
AT: I was a high school all-American wide receiver and had college offers coming in from all over the country. Football is still a big part of my life and always will be. Back when I was balling on Friday nights, I was untouchable. It was God given for me, I didn’t have to work real hard to become great in football during this period of my life. Once I finished with college and had a few surgeries, the dream of playing in the NFL was getting a little distant but I refused to allow it to slip away without a fight which is when I started playing arena football.
It was in arena football where I learned that talent may be God given, but you better learn to outwork the next guy or that spot you have will be taken. Roster spots in the Arena League were coveted because there were only like 25 guys on the rosters and the next man up was waiting, especially right before NFL training camps. Guys would get released from their NFL teams, come down to the Arena League to get more tape, and then sign to the NFL again.
I worked my butt off to keep that roster spot and worked my butt off for every team I played with. It was Coach K (Dave Kimura) in Nebraska who taught me how to be a pro. He was also the first person to show me how if you aren’t hot and you aren’t putting up points, you better learn quickly or the bench will call your name.
I’ll never ever forget (it honestly changed my life) in a game in Nebraska I was hot, scored a touchdown had a bunch of catches, late in the game I had a block in the back penalty that cost us a huge run and I got up off the turf looked over to Coach K who was simply pointing to the bench. My playing days ended right there on that turf in Nebraska. It was Coach K who taught me to understand what it meant to outwork everyone and to always help the team and I will always be successful.
CN: What led you to move to Nashville, which then changed your career focus from football to music?
AT: I moved to Nashvegas so my wife could be closer to her family. My mother-in-law needed us to be close, so we came up and have never looked back. This place is amazing, and if you are a go-getter you can make your dreams come true here.
CN: Do you hold loyalty to the Saints as a Louisiana native, or do you root for your current hometown Titans?
AT: I’m sorry to all the Titans die-hards reading this, but I am a Saints guy through and through. Hell, they helped raise me for a portion of my life and put food on my table so I have to be – ain’t nothing better in the world than when that damn dome is rocking. When “Halftime (Stand up and Get Crunk)” hits on those dome speakers, the entire Saints nation, hell –the entire soul of Nola — is brought out. The only thing that beats that feeling is when I step on stage.
CN: Which artists have influenced you both personally and as an artist?
AT: There are many artists who have influenced me both personally and professionally, but to name the ones that I built my style on would be Nelly, Tupac, George Strait, Garth Brooks, Reba and Tim McGraw.
CN: Can you take us through your songwriting process?
AT: My songwriting process is not that complicated, actually. I am a storyteller so I set a scene — kind of like a movie. I describe the location, the characters, the movements, the environment, the smells, and the action. Then me and my guys (Leland Grant, South Light Sound Studios, and Aaron Lamont) will make magic happen. These two dudes are a couple of my best friends and when we get in a room, magic just happens and we throw together some monsters.
CN: With country, rock and rap in your background, how do you incorporate each in your own style?
AT: I incorporate all three styles by making my cadences and flows match how I honestly feel during a song. We got the rocking guitars, the hip-hop 808’s and the country lyrics so when it’s time to rap in a song, I’ll rap; when it’s time to rock out, I’ll rock out; when it’s time to keep it sexy and smooth, we hit the country vibe. It’s easy for me to transition to any of those styles because that’s genuinely how I am as a person. I can blend in anywhere and can stand out anywhere.
CN: You just released your latest single “Yodelay You Down” which should have a fire warning as it can make people blush. The song was a co-write between you and Chase J. Can you share with us how those songwriting sessions went?
AT: Chase J is a mega-talented dude. He is probably one of, if not the most, talented human beings I have ever been blessed to be around. Dude can take any beat and put magic on it. The songwriting sessions with him weren’t sessions for writing – they were studio sessions. We would come up with an idea and then the next thing you know, 20 minutes go by and Chase has half the song done and it’s magic. He has the unique ability to make everything he does come across as sexy so it’s no surprise that “Yodelay You Down” makes people blush, lol.
CN: Especially during the recent times of the pandemic, social media can be a big boost for artists in getting one’s name out, connecting with fans, and more. You have been having success with TikTok.
AT: TikTok is an awesome platform and one that I spend a lot of time expressing my creativity. I love the fact that the app makes people compete for attention and eyes because that means fans will get the best content. There is absolutely nothing better for the music or entertainment business when there is competition because it brings the best out in people. Fans deserve the best possible content, hell even a hater deserves the best possible content and competing socially for a fans’ respect is what makes TikTok great.
CN: If you could collaborate with any one artist, who would it be?
AT: Nelly or my guy, Colt Ford. Nelly and Colt are both dudes who shaped me as an artist in ways they don’t even understand. Nelly brings out that swag and that in-your-face style, and Colt brings out that real authentic version of himself. I would love nothing more than to have a collab with both of those guys.
CN: What was the first concert you ever attended?
AT: The first concert I ever went to was Dierks Bentley and Miranda Lambert in Shreveport, Louisiana. Miranda was opening for Dierks. It was so badass to see a woman go out on stage and say “to hell with all these standards y’all putting on women, I’m singing barefoot in my blue jeans and gonna show y’all I’m the s**t.” She sure as hell did, and it was awesome.
CN: If you could describe yourself in one word, what would it be and why?
AT: Competitive. I am a competitor through and through. I wake up every single day to get better at what I do so that I can be the best. I have to win and I will do everything I have to do to make that happen. Some say winning isn’t everything…… Well to me those people got way to comfortable with second place.
CN: What’s next on the horizon for you?
AT: Winning CMA awards, selling out Bridgestone arena, hanging my plaques on the walls at Average Joes, and seeing Average Joes and all my teammates take over the damn world.
For more information on Austin Tolliver, visit his website at atmusic.info or weoutlaws.com and follow him on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
love this dude