Success still feels fresh for country star Josh Turner

Musician Josh Turner still has a hard time wrapping his mind around how far he’s come since finding mainstream country success more than a decade ago.

“For me, right now, it still kind of feels like a dream,” he said. “It’s hard to believe that I’ve been able to go and do all of the things that I’ve done.”

The musician will bring his live show to the Turlock Community Theatre at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6.

Turner, a double-platinum-selling artist and Grand Ole Opry member, released his latest single, “Lay Low,” last year. He said he’s happy with the reception that it’s gotten and found its message has widespread appeal.

“I think it speaks to human nature. We enjoy the technology, we enjoy the phones … but there comes a point where we just want to turn our phones, our computers and all that stuff off and just decompress,” he said. “Whether you have a cabin in the woods or not, I think everyone yearns for that kind of escape.”

The song will appear on his upcoming album, which is still in the works. Turner said most of the musical components are in place, and it should hopefully be out soon, though no release date has been set.

Turner said that over the years, the challenge he faces is growing musically while not compromising himself. His 2003 debut, “Long Black Train,” went platinum, and he’s released four more albums since. His fifth, “Punching Bag,” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Country Albums chart when it came out in 2012.

He’s received multiple Grammy and Country Music Award nominations, with a No. 1 hit list including “Your Man,” “Why Don’t We Just Dance” and “Would You Go With Me.”

His first book, “Man Stuff: Thoughts on Faith, Family and Fatherhood,” came out in April 2014, discussing his Christian faith and role as a father of four sons. Turner said when the project first came up, it made him a little nervous.

“I was thinking what in the world was I going to write about,” he said, adding that it became easier once he figured that part out. “I wanted to use it the same way I use my music – to influence people in a positive way and bring some hope and joy to their lives.”

Turner said he first got into music through church, and through his grandmother’s record collection. She owned many traditional country, bluegrass and Southern gospel records, which formed the foundation of Turner’s musical influences. Eventually, he started to listen to country radio.

“Randy Travis was my hero. I wanted to be just like him when I was younger,” Turner said. “He was the one who really inspired me to chase this dream. And the rest is history.”

This story was originally published December 1, 2015 at 12:41 PM with the headline "Success still feels fresh for country star Josh Turner."