On Wednesday, Sept. 5, country music artist Brandon Lay will perform in concert at the Pine Room in Burns.

Lay is currently on tour around the country as an opening act for Kenny Chesney and will be making a stop in Burns to share his music with fans.

Lay’s debut single, “Speakers, Bleachers, and Preachers,” was released last year, and his latest single, “Yada, Yada, Yada,” is garnering a lot of national attention and airplay.

Lay, 31, grew up in Jackson, Tenn., located between Nashville and Memphis, and his fondness for country music started at an early age.

“I watched CMT a lot, and tried to emulate artists like Clint Black and Alan Jackson,” Lay said. “My mom liked soft rock as well as groups like Restless Heart, so that also influenced my brand of music. The country music in the late 80s and early 90s was really good.”

After high school, Lay attended Union University in Jackson, where he played basketball for three years. During his senior year, a teacher, Charlie Black, who played with Carl Perkins’ band, heard Lay play and encouraged him to follow a different dream.

“He told me to try out for a school play or go to an open mic event,” Lay said.

After that, Lay got a band together and began his musical career. Once out of college, Lay moved to Nashville to see what might lie ahead for him.

“I stood in line at the Bluebird Cafe for about an hour, waiting for a chance to perform at their open mic night,” Lay said. He added that several artists and songwriters were discovered at the Bluebird Cafe, including Garth Brooks and Taylor Swift.

Rather than being discovered and making a meteoric rise to the top, Lay continued writing songs and playing on the road for a number of years.

He got his first publishing contract with Warner/Chappell in 2013, and then eventually signed with UMG Nashville. He opened for several other performers before heading out on the road with Chesney and his Trip Around the Sun stadium tour.

When asked about the touring life, Lay stated, “I love touring and writing songs. I’m a road dog.”

Lay’s wife, Nicole, is accompanying him on tour, and the two are expecting their first child in October.

“She’s my rock,” Lay said.

After playing both small and large venues, Lay knows which he enjoys the most.

“I like playing the stadiums; I’m not going to lie to you,” he said. “I’m not terrified to go out there because it’s so fun.”

Lay said he and his band once used a high school football field to mark off how large the stage would be, and that took a little getting used to. He added that Chesney has been great to be around on tour, helping everyone to “share the experience.” Lay was also given 35 minutes as the opening act instead of the usual 20 minutes allotted to an opening act.

Looking ahead, Lay said he would love to see his current single, “Yada, Yada, Yada,” make it into the top 10 or 20, and continue to write songs that people want to hear. He is working on his first album to be released at a later date.

“I’m living my dream,” Lay concluded.

The concert on Sept. 5 will be held outdoors at the Pine Room, with doors opening at 6 p.m. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door. Levi Harris, a local artist, will open the show. Tickets are available online or at The Pine Room, High Desert Hair Design, and Reid’s Country Store.