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Spencer Hatcher Interview:
Nikki caught up with Spencer ahead of the release of his debut EP, 'Honky Tonk Hideaway'
November 16th 2025
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If you love country music and you aren’t already listening to Spencer Hatcher, you’re truly missing out on one of the genre’s most exciting emerging artists. Hailing from Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, Hatcher started out playing in his family’s bluegrass band before transitioning to traditional country music and starting his own band in 2020 alongside his brother, Connor, a talented musician in his own right. Spencer’s bluegrass roots remain a constant presence and foundation in his music, particularly in his live shows, and in a landscape where the genre is becoming increasingly diverse, Hatcher is the epitome of the phrase ‘keeping it country.'
I had the pleasure of chatting to Spencer ahead of his debut EP release; check it out below.
NB: Hey Spencer, good to see you again.
SH: So good to see you too, Nikki.
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NB: Last time I saw you was CMA Fest – it was your first time there since signing your deal – how was that whole experience for you?
SH: It was such an honour, it was my first CMA Fest ever, and I was so glad you were able to make it. I thought that was so cool.
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NB: It was genuinely one of my highlights of CMA Fest. It was my first one as well, but I loved that whole night. I was very excited to get to see you live finally.
SH: I'm so glad you were able to, and I hope that that's not the last time. Hopefully we can do it again real soon.
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NB: Definitely. I'll be back at another show, for sure. What I also loved as well was not just your set but seeing how you were with your fans afterwards. I mean, you took the time with everybody in that room who wanted to chat to you or take a picture with you, even though it was after midnight when you came off stage, you really gave everyone the time. Is that something that's important to you, building that rapport with your fans?
SH: Wildly important. It's something I've told all my guys, everybody that works for me. I've told them all that as long as I'm there, I'll shake every single hand that wants to shake my hand and take every picture I can and meet everybody that I can. It's always been a number one priority for me. You know, the show is important, but meeting the people that are there supporting you is such a huge thing that I think a lot of artists somehow forget, and they don't take time with their fans, they don't take time, even for pictures. And I can't relate to that. I never will be able to relate to not giving everything to the fans, because they're the only reason that I - or any artist - can do what we do, is because of the fans. And so to ever think that you can be without them, I mean, you're gonna have a very short career, and so yes, for as long as I've been in the business, I take every single picture. I sign every shirt, I shake every hand, and that's how I'll always keep it as long as I possibly can. Now, there might come a day, and I do hope that there's a day where, you know, I've got like five or 10,000 people that come to my shows. Well, I can't shake all the hands, but as far as the people that take the time to buy the VIP that allows them backstage and to all the openers and to all the staff, I’ll always be there meeting everybody that I possibly can in. I mean, it's just such an important thing for me.
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NB: It's definitely something that seems to be paying off. I mean, you've got 60 million streams right now; that's like, almost the full population of the UK you've got in streams.
SH: Well, I've been very, very blessed in a lot of different ways and to finally be an artist that can have music for people to listen to, I mean, that's the whole thing about it, you know, I want people to hear my songs and love them and enjoy 'em. And so it really makes me excited. I'm really just thankful for everything.
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NB: Do you ever take the time - 'cause I know you are really goal-driven and you've got such a crazy work ethic - but do you ever take the time to, just appreciate how far you have come since that ‘Folsom Prison Blues’ video blew up on TikTok?
SH: Yes. In a way, but I think I'm also pretty hard on myself in the sense of, I appreciate everything that everybody does for me and the fans, of course, but as far as me looking internally, I'm always looking for the next thing. To me, I have so much more work to do to get to where I want to be. And I do appreciate everything that I'm doing. I'm proud of how much work I've put in. I'm glad I never quit when it was really hard, which I've been through a lot of really hard times, but quitting isn't something that I'm familiar with. It's never something that I've done. And so this being my passion and everything that I want to do, you know, I just keep going. And I've got a lot more work ahead. You know, that's the way I see it. I've got a lot more things that I want to do, but I am proud of how far we've come.
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NB: You should be proud. I remember the first time we spoke and you were telling me about that awful accident you had when you'd fallen off your roof, fixing your chimney and you could have been paralysed, but you were back up playing shows within the month.
SH: I think most people probably would have taken more time than what I did, but I just figured, well, I could either sit at home or I could sit up on stage and play another show, and so that was what I did. I needed help in the venues. I mean, I still was walking with a cane, and I had two people that act as security for me at some of the shows that wound up, like holding both of my arms and helping me up on stage to my seat, but it worked out great, and it allowed me to be back in front of all my friends and family and fans and, yeah, I just I like to work. I mean, I can only be down for so long.
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NB: It is crazy, though, that even something like that didn't even take you out for the full month, you were just right back up there.
SH: Oh, it was three weeks, yeah.
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NB: That's crazy. But just to jump to your most recent single, ‘When She Calls Me Cowboy,’ how’s the reception been to that so far? Because I mean, it's just such a good song.
SH: It's been really good, and I've been really excited about the reception of it. It's the first song where I performed it live just like a week after it'd come out, and it was a sold out show that I was playing and the entire venue erupted when I announced I was going to sing it, and that blew me away because I didn't know how much people liked it and then when I started singing it, they sang every single word to it and it was like, oh man, it was just like the greatest thing. It was the first time I ever got to see what it would be like to have a hit. And that made me feel really good. I know that I see more and more comments on my social media all the time of people saying, "This is my favourite song. This is the greatest country song that's come out in, you know, X amount of time. And to me, for it to be a song that I put out, I'm so grateful that people are liking the music and really like that song because that's how it makes me feel. I feel like it's true to who I am and the feel of that song is, I think it's real country music and so I'm really glad that people like it as much as I do.
NB: It's also your first song that's gone to country radio, it's the first time you've shot a music video for a single - how different has this whole experience been putting this out compared to your previous singles?
SH: Well, as far as the production of the song, it was the same, but as far as the amount of work that we've put into this one, it's been a whole lot more. Going on a radio tour, doing the music video, all of the promotions and the marketing for this song has been it's been a lot more, I would say, and I've enjoyed every bit of it because I think this song deserves that chance to be heard by the world, and I'm really hoping and praying that it going to radio is what's gonna give it that shot to allow the world to hear it. I mean, I'm really praying that that's the outcome of it because I think that if the country crowd could hear it, they'd really love it, and they would maybe look at Spencer Hatcher as a true country artist.
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NB: I think so. How was filming the music video for you? Because you are so hands on and you always have been, I mean, you're a business graduate, aren't you? So you've always been very much involved and interested in the business side of things. Did you get much involvement in the video? Or much say in how it played out?
SH: Oh, yeah, yeah, they pretty much ran everything by me, which, you know, I'm very thankful for. I don't expect it. I mean, you know, there's a lot of people involved in a video like that, but they all cared about what I as the artist thinks about it. And so there was certain things that we would change or we would come together as a team to discuss what would be the best thing, and that was kind of how we wound up doing that video, but the video was really cool. You know, I was really happy to be able to do it, and I think that we captured what we were wanting to pretty good. And yeah, it was it was great working with that amount of people watching the dance and the choreography come together, and it was kind of like it was a live show setting with a secondary story going on. I was so excited to be part of it.
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NB: Did it help you feel a little bit more at ease, the fact that it was like a live show setting, like for your first one to ease you into music videos?
SH: Yeah, I would say so. I mean, I knew how to act at least. I knew when the cameras came on, I at least knew what I needed to be doing on stage, which was just be myself and move like I move. And so that was what I did, and I was really pleased.
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NB: Because you are very active and present on social media, do you think filming so many videos and even some of your skits, did that help prepare you for that day?
SH: Big time. I became very familiar with a camera in my face because of myself, basically. I remember when I started social media, that was not natural. That was very unnatural, and it felt weird. But I filmed so many videos in the four years that I was just independent that I'm very comfortable in front of a camera now. Now, there's certain times where I'm not, where, you know, when you've got like the really great big professional cameras or like news stations sometimes, you get a little kind of on edge, but if I didn't have all those social media videos, then I would you know, you might freeze, I don't know. But no, I feel very comfortable in front of a camera now and kind of taking directions from the directors. And yeah, I would say it definitely helped out.
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NB: You mentioned before that you've just done this massive radio tour; every time I logged into my Instagram, you were in a different city it seemed – what was that like?
SH: It was awesome. And I'm actually still on it. I'm going down to going to Oklahoma and Texas just next week. So I'm going to continue with the radio tour and meet as many people as I can and just keep getting my music out there, but so far, just in the last, I think it's like a month I've been it's been like 20 different states, it's been an insane amount of travelling and I've met so many amazing people during this radio tour and I'm very grateful to be on it to get to meet these people that are you know, kind of deciding what goes out to the people in country music. I'm very thankful to get to shake their hand and sing my songs for them and ‘When She Calls Me Cowboy,’ - all my music really - has been very, very well received by those individuals and that really makes me feel excited because I hope and I pray that they'll be willing to play my songs one day.
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NB: Speaking of exciting, you're releasing your debut EP this Friday, ‘Honky Tonk Hideaway,’ which, it's six songs, but five of them are already out and available for people to go and listen to right now. I've been lucky enough to listen to the new song, the title track, and well, unsurprisingly, I love it, but it's a really different sound for you. Like, you described it as like ‘Boot Scootin’ Boogie, but contemporary and it really is. It is a different sound for you. What was it about that song that made it the perfect one to round out your debut EP?
SH: I think it's got that punch that I've been looking for, you know, with songs like ‘When She Calls Me Cowboy,’ ‘Cold Beer and Common Sense,’ ‘The Way She Lies,’ they're a little bit slower, then ‘On the Inside’ is moving a little bit more. ‘Leave This Town,’ is moving a little bit more. But to do ‘Honky Tonk Hideaway,’ that song has got some fire to it, and it is like a honky tonk, it's raw country music. It's a little bit different of a sound, but it's allowing me to kind of round out my sound as well as an artist like, I've got very, very country sounding mid to slow tempo songs and now, what does a show opener or a show closer look like from Spencer Hatcher? And I think ‘Honky Tonk Hideaway’ is a really good example of that, where maybe that intro comes on and then I walk out, you know, to start a show off, something like that, something that really gets people going, something that is maybe the theme of a Friday or Saturday night out in a honky tonk. I think ‘Honky Tonk Hideaway’ is one of those songs, so I'm really thankful to have it, and I think that it's really going to round out that EP.
NB: I think so. It definitely shows all sides of you: your vocals, your artistry and what you can produce and what a live Spencer Hatcher show would be like, I mean, I have no rhythm when it comes to dancing, but that song even makes me wanna dance.
SH: Yeah, I mean, to me, that's such an important thing: can people feel like it makes them want to get up and dance? Does it make them want to have a good time on a Friday or Saturday night in a honky tonk? And I think that this song is going to do it, and, I really appreciate you saying that it shows my artistry and what I'm capable of doing because I feel like I'm capable of so much more than what people know right now, but once I put out like a full length album, people will see, just what I'm capable of doing, I can go from a slow song with lots of singability in it to a fast song and a mid-tempo song. I want people to really think of me as a true country artist that's versatile, so I think this is a really good step in that direction.
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NB: It definitely is and speaking of other good steps in the right direction, you've now signed for WME for international representation. Does that mean that we might be seeing you playing some shows over this side of the pond sometime soon?
SH: If it's up to me, yes, absolutely, and in a way, it is, you know, but when WME comes to me and says, “hey, we've got this opportunity for you to go to Europe, do you want to do it?” Yeah, absolutely. I 100% want to come over to that side of the world and perform, I would love to do a tour just over there, you know, not in America. I'd love to make my music worldwide and my shows worldwide. I think that's a huge step as an artist, and it's not one that lots of people are given. You know, you can't always go and perform a show in Europe or in Asia or Australia, but with WME, I definitely have that ability now and I'm so thankful for those guys. Signing with WME was such a huge step for me; it's such a huge honour because they’re pros, they're masters of what they do, they're giants in the industry, and for me to be added to the team at WME. I mean, gosh, that was so exciting. It was amazing.
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NB: It is exciting. I was excited for you when I heard, and I honestly think that your shows, your live show would go down really well with European and UK crowds. I think there's a real appetite for the style of country that you bring. You've got that traditional side, but you're also very much you and make it your own thing. And I don't think there's anyone over here right now that’s really doing what you do and I can't wait ‘til you're playing some international shows.
SH: It really makes me feel good to know that you think I’d be well received over there. I'd love to experience it for myself, that would be amazing.
NB: Hopefully that won't be too long. Spencer, thank you so much for your time, I really enjoyed getting to chat to you. I always do.
SH: Thank you so much, Nikki. It means the world to me. Southbound 615 is awesome, and I appreciate you always giving me a shot to talk and tell a story about everything that's coming out.
NB: Anytime, and all the best with the EP on Friday, I already love it. I think fans are gonna love it and I hope it opens even more doors for you.
SH: I hope so too. And hopefully you can make it out to another show before too long.
Hit the links below to keep up to date with Spencer's socials:
Spencer is Southbound 615's Artist of the Month for November
Read our review of 'Honky Tonky Hideaway' here
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