Jamey Johnson Rides "High"

Jamey Johnson photo courtesy of UMG Nashville.

Feb. 2, 2009 — Jamey Johnson earned huge critical acclaim for his album That Lonesome Song, which nabbed a hit with the first single, "In Color."

When it came time to put out a second single, he had a bit of a predicament. The song that gets the biggest reaction on the album is "High Cost Of Living," but its lyrics are likely to spark some controversy. It’s awash in drugs, alcohol and cheating, capped with a much-quoted lyric: "That Southern Baptist parking lot/Is where I’d go to smoke my pot."

Jamey wasn’t sure if radio stations, which prefer songs with more upbeat messages, would play it. But ultimately, he figured he was being honest about the music when he made it, and it might actually benefit people to hear about the pain that often accompanies a walk on the wild side.

"‘High Cost of Living’ is not a song that’s put out for the purpose of shock factor," he says. "That’s not the intent for that song. It’s there for the same reason those public service announcements air on Saturday morning cartoons about [talking] to your kids about drugs. It’s important. There are people sitting in jail today that that song is their story. My child is four years old. If I’m able to explain to my kid that cocaine is something really bad for you and that a whore is a woman that’s maybe made some bad decisions in her life — if I can explain it to my four year old, then you can explain it to yours, too. And let’s start really talking to our kids about drugs."

"High Cost Of Living" was released to radio stations just as Jamey prepares for what could become the biggest night of his career so far. He’s been nominated for three Grammy Awards, and he’ll find out Sunday if he wins any of them. "In Color" is up for Best Male Country Vocal and Best Country Song, while That Lonesome Song has a shot at Best Country Album.

Jamey recently visited our studios to film some exclusive acoustic performances for GAC. Click here to watch them now!