Brantley Gilbert Feels the Pressure to Succeed With Next Album

Brantley Gilbert hasn't even begun the recording process on his second album, but he is already feeling the pressure of the famous "sophomore slump."

"I'm a little worried about it," Gilbert tells Taste of Country with a grin. "Hopefully we can top this [current album]. We had some pretty good ones on this last album, so there’s a bit of pressure on me to top that one [laughs]. I’m definitely thinking about it, hoping it adds up!"

However, Gilbert has been doing some songwriting for the project and has been digging back through some older tunes to find some special gems that will create the kind of album that his fans have come to expect from him. "I’ve been looking through some songs that I’ve written in the past and some new ones [I've been writing]," he says. "I’m thinking ahead and kind of sizing it up, definitely. I’m looking forward to putting everything together."

One thing Gilbert has been prepared for in recent months is what it takes to top the country singles chart. He has done it twice now -- once as a songwriter and once as an artist and songwriter. The first trip to the top came when Jason Aldean took his tune 'Dirt Road Anthem' (which Gilbert co-wrote with Colt Ford) to No. 1, followed by Gilbert's own hit, 'Country Must Be Country Wide,' which topped the country singles chart in November of last year.

"It was a little strange," Gilbert says of the success surrounding both tunes. "It caught me off guard. It was a lot of fun, [and] it was really exciting. To hear some of the things that people had to say about me was definitely really cool. People had a lot of really good things to say. It made me feel good."

And the love for Gilbert and his music has only been rising, as he is currently on a very high-profile trek, opening for Eric Church on the Blood, Sweat and Beers Tour. Click here for a list of dates where the tour will be stopping.