"Brad Paisley Strikes a New Chord" - Interview with Parade Magazine

In this weekend's issue of PARADE, country star Brad Paisley tells all about his provocative new album, Wheelhouse (out April 9), his family life on a Nashville farm, and why he struggles with being a workaholic. Paisley on “Those Crazy Christians,” about religion from the viewpoint of a nonbeliever: “This is what I would consider a gospel song, the most important one I’ve ever done. … I wrote it shortly after my cousin-in-law passed away in 2011. … To play the part of the skeptic … is a much more powerful argument to me—in favor of [belief] as well as looking at things that are baffling.” On struggling with work-life balance:"It is tough and frustrating sometimes. When you're a creative person, there are just times when you're not listening. You know, I could be looking right at you and thinking about something else." On meeting his wife, actress Kimberly Williams-Paisley, when he cast her in a video after spotting her in Father of the Bride: “I used the video as a way to say hi, and it worked well. I did not think,” he adds mischievously, “she would end up as my wife.” On why he hasn’t done a cameo on ABC’s musical drama Nashville, in which his wife has a role: “They’ve asked, but it’s a little odd, having Kim on there playing somebody else. … I can’t watch it. It is really good, but it’s disturbing to me, too close to what I do.” On whether he’s afraid his fans won’t like the edgier material onWheelhouse:“Maybe I’m naive, but I give them a lot of credit for having been with me a long time and knowing me really well. So it’s not like with one album I’m a whole new guy.” selections from PARADE Interview by Matt Hendrickson