Texas rising star Josh Ward is tiptoeing into the national country music spotlight from his native Lone Star State.
Last month, his second single to break out of Texas climbed to No. 53 on Billboardβs Hot Country Singles chart. βHolding Me Togetherβ had already crushed the Texas charts a dozen times since he released his debut album βHard Whiskeyβ in 2007.
Heβs released three studio albums since then, including his 2018 record βMore Than I Deserveβ that gave him his 12th consecutive No. 1 hit with βThe Devil Donβt Scare Me Anymore.β
It will likely be one of the songs that gets him big applause when he headlines The Rock on Saturday, July 6. Opening acts are Phoenix country musician Harry Luge and Tucsonβs own The County Line.
Ward is an interesting character in Texasβs vibrant Red Dirt Country scene. He put in his time on the rodeo circuit before working in the stateβs punishing oil fields then transitioning to country music. When youβve lived that much life, you have a story or two to tell, and Ward, the 39-year-old father of two, tells them with a soulful baritone that rings with true authenticity of the cowboy life.
“It’s steel guitar, it’s fiddle, it’s twangy lead guitar overlapping lyrics of heartache, sin and redemption,” savingcountrymusic.com said of Ward’s 2018 album “More Than I Deserve.” “If country music was a skills competition in keeping it between the lines and sticking the landing, Josh Ward would score a 10.0.”
Wardβs music seems to strike a chord with listeners, as well: He has over 2 million views and counting on YouTube and his Spotify streams globally have surpassed 3 million. He also got a little Netflix bump when his song βTogetherβ was featured on the Netflix series βThe Ranchβ with Debra Winger and Sam Elliott.
Doors for Saturdayβs 21-and-older concert at the Rock, 136 N. Park Ave., open at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15 in advance through rocktucson.com.
