Jon Pardi is fresh off of Alan Jackson's 25th Anniversary Keepin' It Country tour, and the singer-songwriter is getting ready to hit the road again in just a few short weeks. Jackson's tour wrapped up on May 17 in Denver, and Pardi tells Taste of Country what it was like opening up for one of his country music idols.

"The thing with Alan is you really see what a great country songwriter is," the relative newcomer shares. "To me, he's up there with Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson. He's Alan Jackson. I don't know if many people know, but he's written a lot of his hits."

Adds Pardi, "Man, dude's got songs for days. I want to be like that."

Little does Pardi know, he's indeed following in Jackson's footsteps. He co-wrote and co-produced ten of the tracks on his debut album Write You a Song and recently released his brand new 6-song EP titled The B-Sides, 2011-2014, which he also co-wrote and co-produced. These six "mozzarella sticks" are "the appetizer" to his forthcoming sophomore album and are actually older songs that were contenders for his first record.

Reveals the singer, "'Fightin' the Fool' is the first song that I've ever co-written. EVER. Ever in my life! Before 'Fightin' the Fool' I wrote songs by myself."

"I'm interested to see what fans are going to say, because I'm totally burnt out on these songs. Some of them are seven years old. So, imagine a song being seven years old," Pardi adds. "It's like, 'Here! Get on out! Get on iTunes! I'm sick of listening to you by myself'" he jokes. (Get Pardi's new EP on iTunes here.)

The California native will perform at several fairs and festivals this summer. Pardi calls it the Corn Dog Circuit. "I love me some corn dogs... but I'll only limit myself to two because it's summer. Only two... no funnel cakes. I'm not a funnel cake guy."

When asked who he would like to tour with next, Pardi admits: "Anybody. Anybody want to take me on tour? Call me up. I'm ready! If you need a rowdy opening act that's going to offend people sometimes — but in a good way — call me!"

You heard the man. Give him a call!

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