Brantley Gilbert Personally Picked Michael Ray, Lindsay Ell to Join Him on Not Like Us Tour (Exclusive)

Brantley Gilbert’s Not Like Us Tour will kick off on Aug. 22, with both Michael Ray and Lindsay Ell serving as his opening acts. Gilbert personally chose both artists, not just because of the success they’ve already had, but because of where he sees them going in the future.

“They’re great people just in general,” Gilbert boasted to PopCulture.com. “Both them too have amazing shows. I’m excited to see what their show’s like even since I’ve seen them. I haven’t been able to see Lindsay do an entire set in quite a while. With Michael, he’s opened the tour before and then he came out and played the [Kick It In the Ship] cruise. His show, it’s awesome.

“Just to see how much they grow as writers and performers,” he continued. “I can’t wait to see how much these shows changed and what it’s like now that a little more time has passed. I can’t wait for them to get in front of people. I think our crowd’s going to eat them up. I’m just excited for it to get started.”

Gilbert is also readying his second annual Kick It In the Ship cruise, which sets sail on Nov. 4 and includes Chase Rice, LANCO, Danielle Bradbery and more.

“I like to think that a lot of folks are a lot like me and listen to a little bit of everything, and there’s a little bit everything on that boat,” Gilbert told PopCulture.com. “I think it’s a cool opportunity from people who maybe don’t listen to a lot of stuff to get in a room and hear a show and go, ‘Man, I really liked that.’ They may find some stuff they didn’t see coming.”

“Last year we had Blackhawk, and it’s amazing just to have those guys out there. Somebody of their stature out,” he continued. “Then you got your Colt Fords and your Tyler Farrs; it’s a good time. It’s a bunch of people that I get along with and whose music I really dig, and we’ve got Chase Rice out there with us. I just think it’s a great lineup, even just music-wise, if there wasn’t anything going on other than music, I think it’d still be a blast.”

Gilbert’s Not Like Us Tour is scheduled to run through Oct. 12. His new album, Fire & Brimstone, will be out on Oct. 4. More information can be found at his official website.

Photo Credit: Getty images / Alberto E. Rodriguez