Country music stars Jordan Davis and Luke Bryan recently raised a glass of bubbly in one hand and a blinding platinum plaque for their No.1 single “Buy Dirt” in the other. While the two are relishing the rapid success of the vulnerable track – Davis squeezed in time to talk about the career-altering tune.
“I’ve never had a song that’s connected like this,” the hitmaker told the Tennessean about the fan reaction. However, the “connection” also refers to the raw lyrics and links to his core values.
The Louisiana native penned “Buy Dirt” alongside his brother Jacob Davis, Josh Jenkins, and Matt Jenkins. The multi-platinum artist told the publication that he tends to leave his soul on the writing table and is not afraid to dig deep with his sibling to cultivate a moving melody.
“I’m super comfortable and can get more vulnerable and honest than I usually am when I write with Jacob,” Davis explained. “In songwriting, it’s often beneficial to pull from past experiences – and there’s nobody who knows about those better than my brother,” he added.
He continued to share that he wanted the theme behind the lyrics to hit home or provoke memories within his listeners – since he pulled from his southern upbringing to carefully craft the storyline.
“When we wrote it, we had such pride in it and what it meant that we were hopeful that it’d impact people’s lives,” he mentioned to the outlet. “I was inspired by the acre of land my grandfather owned in Stonewall, Louisiana. I was raised in a blue-collar family. So my grandfather’s land, through small, you would’ve thought – given how much he loved it – that he had a castle on a hill.”
Their viewpoint and honest take on faith, family, and fortune catapulted the sentimental ballad to the top of the charts in the United States and several other countries. However, when the group completed the heavy hit, Davis jumped into the studio to record the demo…but something was missing.
He shortly realized, that the missing element was Luke Bryan.
“Luke has a farm and has strong beliefs about faith and family, so I knew [“Buy Dirt”] could resonate with him,” Davis confided in the publication.
The idea to join forces with the “Play It Again” singer did not come out of left field, as the men had a relationship for approximately two years before Davis considered the eight-time ACM award-winner for the track.
After toying with the idea, Davis grabbed his phone and hesitantly sent the request to Bryan. He revealed that he struggled with the message, as he wanted to perfectly execute the big picture and share how much he “connected” with the heartfelt lyrics.
“I knew I loved listening to the song. I didn’t know what to expect, and if what I was typing would highlight how much the song meant to me,” he said. “I was so nervous to send [Bryan] the text that I must’ve read it over 20 times.”
While realizing that Bryan was the missing puzzle piece, Davis told Audacy that he felt like he was on “pins and needles” waiting for a response. “ You don’t want to be that guy that just peddles songs to one of the biggest names in the genre,” he added.
Luckily, the eager singer-songwriter received the answer he was looking for.
Since making magic together, their professional bond has blossomed into a friendly relationship. Earlier this month, the beloved hitmakers celebrated the success of “Buy Dirt” on the water after the RIAA certified the relatable hit platinum. The two are currently in the running for Single of the Year, Song of the Year, and Music Event of the Year at the 2022 ACM Awards that will air live on March 7.