Sam Hunt’s songwriting has visited a wide range of topics over the years. From backroads and house parties to cop cars and outskirts, there’s not much Sam is afraid tackle in a songwriting session, except fatherhood.

“I’m intimidated to write about my family and fatherhood,” he admitted to Audacy’s Katie Neal while sharing he’s been starting to gather ideas and draw inspiration for his next project. While the 39-year-old says he has no intentions of a “Dad song” making the tracklist, he shared hints of his family values will likely be weaved throughout as he is focused on providing a strong foundation for his kids.

“I’ve always been geared more towards progress and pushing the boundaries, [but] the next project — at least from an idea perspective — will be more about roots and foundation... more traditional values,” he said. “The bedrock of how I hope to raise my family. Those things will be there — even if my songs don’t sound like what you would call a ‘Dad song,’ they will be written from a dad’s heart.”

That’ll be a bit of a shift from his most-recent release “Locked Up,” which was inspired by the night Hunt was arrested in November 2019 for driving under the influence and violating open container law in Nashville and the impact it had on his marriage. While resurfacing a deeply personal time in his life, Hunt says he doesn’t mind bringing it back up as it is part of his story.

“I wanted it to feel more like messing up, but having your significant other go through it with you and stand by your side,” he shared. “It’s more symbolic than a specific story about getting locked up, but because of my history — there are dots that can be connected there.”

The song title also serves as the namesake for Hunt’s summer tour, the Locked Up Tour which will travel across the U.S. and Canada through September with special guests Russell Dickerson, George Birge (U.S.) and Dalton Dover. Also along for the ride is Sam’s family who he says make everything more fun.

“Early on I didn’t get out to experience a lot of the places we’d visit,” he said of touring before having kids. “I get up early now and go find a really good breakfast place. A lot of the guys from the band will get up and go with me, or my kids [Lucy Louise (2), Lowry Lee (6 mo.)] and [wife] Hannah. They’re traveling with me so we try to smell the roses… we’ve been going to aquariums and museums and things that I wouldn’t have done years ago, but I’m making a point to do now.”

He continued, “It makes a big difference, it makes the trip feel like a vacation and a big, exciting road trip where I just work for a couple hours a night and I get to be on this road trip with my family and some of my best friends in the world, so it’s the best of both worlds.”

Hear additional details about Sam’s tour adventures, plus his ideas for new music and more by checking out his entire conversation with Audacy’s Katie Neal above.

Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal