Josh Gracin Puts His R&B Influences to Work on ‘Good for You’ [Watch]
Josh Gracin is back at country radio with a new song that shows off some of his earliest influences in a brand-new way. The singer draws on his early interest in R&B and soul on his new single, "Good for You."
The slow, sexy ballad features a smooth, soulful vocal performance from Gracin that's rooted in his earliest musical memories.
"Growing up in Michigan, I was exposed to soul and R&B music — you know, Otis Redding, Sam Cooke," he says in the interview clip above, which is premiering exclusively with Taste of Country. "That's how I learned to sing. I got into country when I was 13, and it's been country ever since. But I still have that foundation."
The American Idol Season 2 finalist rose to success in country music with a string of hits that includes "I Want to Live," "Nothin' to Lose" and "Stay With Me (Brass Bed)." He released his new single in November of 2018 through a partnership between his self-owned Revel Road Records and Reviver Records.
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David DeVaul and Robyn Collins co-wrote "Good for You," and Gracin says he was hooked from the moment he heard their simple acoustic demo. The song tells the timeless story of a guy trying to impress the woman he's interested in, but it puts a fresh spin on an old theme.
"So why don't you try me / I won't burn you like a cigarette when you light me / I'll be the whiskey going to your head on a Friday / I'll be that high you can't lose and you won't want to / More than likely / You're out there telling all your friends that you like me / But you won't give in / You just keep fighting / Like love is something bad to do / I know I'll be good for you," Gracin sings.
"To me, country music is about the story, about the lyrics, and 'Good for You" is such a great story," he reflects. "It puts you right in there between the old back and forth of trying to get in good graces with the guy or the girl that catches your eye."
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