That experience represents just the latest chapter in a tale that has brought the small-town West Virginia boy to the pinnacle of the country music world. And for Paisley's fans, the seeds of Play were there to be seen from his first release, the million-selling Who Needs Pictures, which featured the instrumental track, "The Nervous Breakdown."

The inclusion of an instrumental on his debut was just one of the precedents that would also mark subsequent albums—humor, a gospel song, producer Rogers, and Paisley's consistently inventive guitar work and well-crafted hit songs. That series of hits would come to include "He Didn't Have to Be," "We Danced," "Celebrity," "Little Moments," "Mud on the Tires," "Ticks," "Online," "Letter to Me" and "I'm Still a Guy."

Brad was quickly acknowledged as one of country music's most original and multi-talented artists, and his work has attracted collaborators both on record (Alison Krauss, Dolly Parton, George Jones, Bill Anderson) and in his videos, which have been peopled by an extraordinary cast of characters, including Little Jimmy Dickens, Jason Alexander, William Shatner, Jerry Springer, Kellie Pickler, Taylor Swift, Jim Belushi, Andy Griffith and his wife Kimberly, among others.

The awards were quick in coming, including Album of the Year and Male Vocalist awards from both the CMA and the ACM, as well as Entertainer nominations from both organizations—a testament to the sheer breadth of Brad's career success on every level, including that of a tour headliner whose concerts in 2008 sold more than half a million tickets in just the first eight months of the year.

Now, with Play, Brad puts all his talents to work while concentrating on his passion for the guitar, a passion he has chased since he was 8 and his grandfather gave him his first one—a Sears Danelectro Silvertone with an amp in the case. The love affair with the instrument that began then is still going strong, and Play is proof that it is still helping Brad Paisley produce some of modern country's best music.

This album is my love affair with the guitar.

When I was eight I got a gift from my grandpa. No coincidence that around that time I also got an identity. See, no matter how I have changed, learned and evolved as a person, the guitar has been a major part of it, and really the only constant. A crutch, a shrink, a friend, love interest, parachute, flying machine, soapbox, canvas, liability, investment, jackpot, tease, a sage, a gateway, an addiction, a recovery, a temptress, a church, a voice, veil, armor, and lifeline. My grandpa knew it could be many of these things for me, but mostly he just wanted me to never be alone. He said if I learned to play, anything would be manageable, and life would be richer. You can get through some real tough moments with that guitar on your knee. When life gets intense, there are people who drink, who seek counseling, eat, or watch TV, pray, cry, sleep, and so on.

I play.
Brad Paisley