Luke Bryan Plans on Slowing Things Down After 'Rough Year'
Luke Bryan is "gonna slow down a few things" and focus on family after a jam-packed year. The "Country Girl" singer, 46, has plans to savor time with his wife, Caroline, and their sons – Thomas "Bo" Boyer Bryan, 15, and Tatum "Tate" Christopher Bryan, 12 – admitting to Entertainment Tonight that he was "not really balancing it that well this year."
Referring to his wife, Bryan continued, "I'm like, 'Baby, this is a rough year, let's just get through it and then we'll find a boat and go to the Caribbean or something.'" Bryan just wrapped not only Season 21 on American Idol, which crowned Iam Tongi the champion but also a headlining role at CMA Fest. Now, the artist is preparing to kick off his Country On Tour on June 15, which will be followed by a Las Vegas residency at the new Resorts World Theatre on Aug. 30.
"I love to get out there and work," Bryan admitted, assuring that while he's going to be "real active" next year professionally, he's also "gonna slow down a few things." During the country star's recent time off, he made sure to go golfing and fishing with his sons, gushing that during his free time, "You just try to make your time with them at home really, really count."
The "One Margarita" singer's fans are also a major support through it all, and Bryan said it's because of that support that he's now "comfortable" soaking up big moments like headlining CMA Fest. "It's all surreal," he said. "I'm glad that I can really calmly process it now. I used to get really excited and almost didn't enjoy it, because I was so amped up."
Even now, Bryan is working on new music while promoting his latest single, "But I Got a Beer in My Hand." He teased of the process, "We're kinda going, hearing songs, writing songs, and when we get what we like, we go in the studio. I've got some songs that I'm really proud of and I've got some new vocal things that I've done that I think fans have never heard. ... Got some other little tricks up my sleeve." Bryan continued, "I just try to go in the studio, find the best songs I can, write the best songs and sing them and make the best music I can and, you know, thankfully it's worked for years and [I'm] just always excited to roll new music out."