Tyler Hubbard is gearing up for his first-ever debut solo performance at the upcoming 2023 CMT Music Awards after announcing his break from Florida Georgia Line in 2022. But, the country superstar seems to be more than ready for the moment, now that he just got a taste of what it will be like to hit the stage without fellow bandmate and half of the record-breaking former country duo Brian Kelley.
Hubbard has made his way to Austin, Texas, where the 2023 CMT Music Awards will be held on Sunday (April 2). Flying in early on Wednesday (March 29), he decided to give folks a surprise pop-up performance at the city’s ultra-famous Broken Spoke Texas Dancehall. Hubbard didn’t plan on delivering a performance at the venue. Instead, the idea came about while he was at dinner with his band.
Turning their idea into a reality, Hubbard and his band inquired about playing an impromptu show at the legendary venue. The general manager and the venue house band Ian Stewart – who was performing at the time of the proposal – agreed to Hubbard’s wishes. And Stewart even sat in to play fiddle during the on-the-spot concert.
During his 45-min set, Hubbard doled out fan favorites like “5 Foot 9,” “Dancin’ In The Country,” “35’s”, and “Cruise.” A video shared on Hubbard’s Instagram page shows the moments before he and his band made their way into the establishment.
Watch Tyler Hubbard Surprise Fans In Austin, Texas Below
In the clip, set to Hubbard’s “Dancin’ In The Country,” the singer tells viewers, “Alright, y’all. So me and the band. We were in Austin at dinner, and we decided we were in the mood to play some music. So we looked up the coolest little hole in the wall here in Austin, and I think it’s about to go down. Y’all. Come hang out with us.”
The video then pans to Hubbard making his way inside the Broken Spoke Texas Dancehall. He takes pictures with fans before getting gear ready to play music for the locals.
“We’ve got Mike here, who owns the place, digging through closets, looking for basses that aren’t stand-up basses and guitars that aren’t left-handed guitars,” Hubbard says in the clip. (Fun Fact: Hubbard put out the call on Instagram for fans to bring guitars to the venue. Eventually, a fan brought an acoustic guitar.)
Once the group is onstage, the entire room appears at capacity as Hubbard is seen bouncing around onstage with a microphone in his hand.
“What a night. Thanks for bringing the party…and the guitars. I’ll be back, Austin,” Hubbard promises in a caption alongside the clip.
Hubbard Will Make His Solo Awards Show Debut With “Dancin’ In The Country”
Needless to say, it’s clear Hubbard is thrilled to debut his solo magic during the CMT Music Awards, where folks can look forward to him taking the stage with “Dancin’ In The Country.”
Of his song and upcoming solo awards-show debut, Hubbard tells CMT, “It’s a fun one. It’s just fun energy, and it’s nice to bring some lightheartedness to a show like this that’s just fun during a tough week, obviously.”
Since putting a pause on FGL, Hubbard released an 18-track self-eponymous album. The project includes his No. 1 smash, “5 Foot 9” and “Dancin’ In The Country.”
Taking A Break From Florida Georgia Line To Focus On Solo Career
Months after rumors swirled of a potential breakup between FGL, the duo confirmed in early 2022 during the opening up of their exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum that while they weren’t breaking up, they were taking a break from recording together.
“I think ‘taking a break’ is the proper term, as opposed to breaking up,” Hubbard said, according to PEOPLE, with Kelley adding, “We’re not going our separate ways. We’re taking a break from recording our music. We’re being artists. We love creating. And so a couple of years back, we started writing without each other and trying different writers, and now we’re both doing that with our music.”
“It’s been an incredible year getting to get my feet on the ground again, the touring world and playing some shows and getting comfortable as a solo artist,” Hubbard said. “Seeing the reception that the fans have had to the new music and how they’ve connected to it and how they’re showing up and singing these songs, it’s just been so amazing, and I’m even more inspired than ever after this year.”
The 2023 CMT Music Awards, hosted by Kelsea Ballerini and Kane Brown, will air Live from Austin’s Moody Center on Sunday, April 2, at 8:00 p.m., on CBS.
