Chase Likens‘ debut single is a twangy reminder that the cure for what ails you is to go get lost in the country. Readers can press play below to hear “Rub a Little Dirt on It,” premiering exclusively on The Boot.
Written by Roger Springer, Carson Chamberlain and Wade Kirby, and produced by Kevin Beamish, “Rub a Little Dirt on It” encourages listeners to “go 20 miles, 30 miles, 40 miles best / Due North, straight South, east or West” and “take a little walk in your bare feet where the blue skies and the topsoil meet.”
“Whoa, oh, oh, just take it right way out past those city lights / Out there where your soul can heal / Whoa, oh, oh, just get away somewhere off that interstate,” Likens sings in each chorus. Take a little trip and find out how it feels / When you rub a little dirt on it.”
“We were looking for something upbeat that showcased my range and a lot of personality,” Likens explains of the single. “I think this song, more than any other we have done, gives you a sense of who I am.”
A native of Point Pleasant, W.Va., where he grew up on a horse farm, Likens was a Top 12 finalist during American Idol‘s 11th season in 2012 (longtime fans of the show may remember that one of his performances made judge and Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler cry). He studied music and theater at Marshall University, and now says that the experience helped him “[grow] up and mature as an artist … [and] really [find] my voice.”
Likens and producer Beamish met in 2014, but it took some time for their schedules to line up to work together. Now, ”Rub a Little Dirt on It” is the first in a series of releases from their partnership.
“Rub a Little Dirt on It” is due out widely and at radio on Monday (May 10). Fans can pre-save the song on Spotify now.
Listen to Chase Likens’ “Rub a Little Dirt on It”: