Jordan Davis‘ days of drinking, at least on the road, are a thing of the past. The father of four says he now has a completely sober tour, while he and his band focus on being in optimal shape.
“Early on, we were living it up! We don’t anymore,” Davis tells GQ. “We’ve got two guys that are sober, and the rest of us have just kind of … there was a shift. I think early on, when you’re playing, you feel like you have to have alcohol. You depend on it to play a good show.”
Davis hopes that his lack of alcohol on the road inspires other artists, who might think touring and drinking go hand-in-hand.
“I hope somebody that’s coming up in music hears this: the biggest lie I was ever told when it comes to music is that alcohol helps you perform, or loosens you up to where you sing better and lose the nerves,” maintains the singer. “I’m here to tell you that that is 100 percent false. I used to think that, and then I was afraid to play a show sober. Now, the thought of going back out there with a buzz, or two drinks in, is terrifying. I’m just in so much more control when I’m sober.
“My job is for [the fans] to have fun and everybody else to party and be entertained,” he continues. “For me to do that, I need to be as clear-headed as I can. I’ll even say it, because I feel like fans have caught onto it. If you see me drinking something on stage, it’s probably water! Water or tea, because a bunch of shows, it can kind of get heavy on the voice.”
View this post on Instagram
Jordan Davis Still Drinks On Occasion
Unlike artists like Keith Urban and Tim McGraw, Davis does still imbibe on occasion, just not nearly as much as he did in the past.
“We’re sober on the road,” Davis reveals. “I do drink. I’ll drink at the house. My wife and I love to have a glass of wine with dinner. If we go out with friends, a Manhattan is my favorite cocktail. But we’re not a party camp by any means. It’s just the lie that musicians and rock stars have kind of fed. ‘Oh, dude, you got to go out and party. Be up until 2:00 AM.’
“That’s not setting you up for success!” he adds. “You’re not going to sleep better. It’s going to mess up your sleep. You’re going to be groggy in the morning, which is going to make you miss that workout.”
Jordan Davis Prioritizes Being Healthy On The Road
Davis not only cut out alcohol on the road, but he also tours with a trainer, and focuses on healthy meals.
“I feel like when you start eating healthier, you start seeing that even so-called healthy foods may not make you feel great,” Davis explains. “My favorite meal in the world is a green — whether it be green beans or broccoli or kale or something — a sweet potato, and steak. I mean, I could eat that every meal for the rest of my life. But I just started realizing that even sweet potatoes, the so-called good carbs, still make me a little sleepy and not 100 percent going into a show. Our quick fix meal is just ground beef, rice, cheese, lettuce. We’ll pre-package them and bring them out on the road.”
Davis is becoming the best version of himself not only for his family, but also for his fans. Davis wants to be in the best shape possible, to give fans a night they will never forget.
“We’re going into the biggest tour we’ve ever done,” Davis says, speaking of his Ain’t Enough Road Tour, which begins on September 11. “At the end of the day, at 9:35, we go on stage. There’s a lot of people that paid a ton of money to be there. They got babysitters and parked, and spent half of their day getting to our show. I know I have to set myself up for success, starting from when I woke up that day, in order to play the best show I can.”
Davis has a Top 10 hit with “Bar None.” Find all of his music and tour dates at JordanDavisOfficial.com.