Spirit of Summer Is Driving Jerrod Niemann’s New Music

Jerrod Niemann's new single, "Blue Bandana," finds the singer chasing freedom as earnestly as he's chasing the girl that he regrets not following. It's a chill summer jam set during a festival season that's both timeless and gone in a swallow. The singer says that lately, he doesn't want to get much heavier than that, especially this time of year.

“In this world right, everybody seems to be focused in on bad news, all the things that we can’t even imagine people are going through,” Niemann says during an interview for the ongoing Mike's Hard Grilled Series.

“The least we can do as entertainers is take their minds to somewhere special and try to show them that not everything is bad news all the time.”

Niemann finds peace at home or on the road in front of his grill, cooking for his family. He says he's the grillmaster in his house — a title his father held while he was growing up in Liberal, Kansas.

“I think growing up we probably cooked out as much as we cooked in," Niemann shares. “In fact, I cook out so much at home that my wife filed a complaint."

For the 35-year-old, summer means water skiing, cookouts, horseshoes and fun on the water. Growing up the family would hit a nearby lake and bring a cooler of food and beverages with them. “I think that’s what makes summer so much fun," he says. "You get to spend all that time with your family and your friends.”

No, all the songs on his upcoming album for Arista Nashville aren't carefree summer songs, but Niemann seems committed to playing it laid-back for now. He'll continue to take chances with his music, as he's done in the past with songs like the chart-topping "Drink to That All Night." In the end, he's targeting a specific set of fans.

“The people that I actually care about are kind of an esoteric group of people that kind of say ‘I’m going where you’re going.’”

There's no word as to when Niemann's next album will be released, but "Blue Bandana" is available now at iTunes. In addition to teaming with Mike's Hard to create these three exclusive videos for the Grilled Series, Niemann is offering fans a chance to win a summer prize pack that includes an autographed acoustic guitar. Click here to learn more about that contest. Learn more about Mike’s Hard and their Grilled Series at their official website. Download Niemann's "Blue Bandana" here, and "One More Drinkin’ Song" right here.