It’s no surprise that Clearwater, Kansas native Logan Mize is climbing the country music charts and winning over the hearts of the thousands through his good-hearted, honest country music. His sophomore album, “Nobody In Nashville,” along with recent singles “Used Up” and “Can’t Get Away From A Good Time” have received shining reviews from casual radio listeners and country music fanatics alike, in addition to garnering positive attention across the country.
The rising star spoke freely of his journey so far, his sources of inspiration and his appreciation for every ounce of support he’s received along the way. Although he always possessed a love for music, making a successful career out of it was still a relatively distant concept during Mize’s adolescence. Mize’s career was built from humble beginnings.
“I remember being 16 and telling my friends I was going to move to Nashville and pursue music,” he said. “I was too shy to do choir, but I definitely sang in my room on the karaoke machine.”
Years later, at the age of 18, he recalled the fulfillment he felt from writing his first complete song. The dream of pursuing music, he said, began to feel more like reality as it clicked.
“From that point forward, I decided I wanted to do this. I wanted to perfect the craft of writing good songs,” Mize said.
Mize’s career has come a long way since then. His 2012 release “Nobody In Nashville” was a glimpse of life through Mize’s eyes, and included songs that reflect on love and tough break-ups, his small town roots and the realities of a young star chasing his dreams. The album’s strengths are countless, but the easiest to pick up on is the high energy Mize delivers on each track. While rooted in country, Mize said he pulls influences from a wide variety of sources ranging from Alan Jackson to the rhythmic guitars of Tom Petty to a personal favorite, Elton John.
The result is a beautifully crafted, rugged collective of rhythmic, driving melodies tinged with the perfect amount of grit. The album just feels right — high-powered, rough-around-the-edges rock-and-roll fused with contagious melodies and the perfect touch of country comfort. While his music speaks for itself, Mize’s character takes it to the next level.
In the world of music today, it’s increasingly difficult to find those who have both great talent and character. Let it be known that the easy-going, relatable demeanor prevalent in his music is no façade. Born and raised in Kansas, Mize expressed that his small town upbringing has had a great deal of influence on his music. From the wide open Midwestern skies to his grandfather’s example of honest, humble work, he said he uses his love for his roots to inspire his lyrics, music and overall outlook on life. It’s no accident that Mize continues to gain popularity through his ability to process feedback from others. His dedication to earning success through hard work, and his ability, above all else, to believe in himself are all qualities that Kansans can proudly identify with and relate to.
With his Country Stampede debut quickly approaching, Mize expressed nothing but sheer excitement when asked about returning to perform in Manhattan.
“You guys have been so good to me,” he said, stating his appreciation for the loyal fan base that has developed in the area over the past years.
Mize reminisced on his first time playing in Manhattan and the excitement he felt surrounding a sold-out show.
“It’s definitely my favorite place to go,” he said.
The numbers estimated for attendance for Saturday’s performance show that the sentiment is definitely mutual.
Chris Sourk, senior in entrepreneurship, described Mize’s concerts as energizing for the local crowds.
“A lot of people at the concert were from surrounding communities so they all knew his background growing up in Kansas,” Sourk said. “His music is not only relatable to a lot of small town Kansans, but just really good country music (in general).”
As for his recent surge of stardom in the country scene, Mize politely dismissed the notion.
“I don’t feel like I have to deal with stardom right now,” he said. “That’s not why I got into this.”
While he is staying humble, fans can’t help but root for Mize to continue to gain popularity and earn the success and respect that talent of his caliber deserves.
Logan Mize’s upcoming third album, featuring the single “Can’t Get Away From a Good Time,” is near completion and set to be released in the fall. When asked about his work on the record, he said he feels it will be the first “real” Logan Mize record.
“Everything else up to this point has just been a warm up,” he said.
Safe to say, fans are thrilled to hear it and hope there are many more to follow.
