Josh Thompson Joins Eric Church in 32-Date Jagermeister Country Tour

Columbia Nashville newcomer Josh Thompson didn’t waste any time starting the New Year. Instead, he ushered in 2010 by playing his first time ever in the Mother Church of country music, the Ryman Auditorium, on New Years’ Day. “That was the closest I’ll ever get to floating,” he said of the performance. “It was a huge honor and a dream come true.” Thompson will also be playing Nashville Lifestyles’ “Music in the City,” event on January 19, and will spend the rest of this month playing his own tour dates before joining Eric Church on the 32-date Jagermeister Country Tour, which kicks off February 9 in Baltimore, MD.

Thompson will continue his method of tour travel the old-fashioned way, packing up his trusty van (whom he fondly calls “Van-A-White”) and piling in his band mates and gear to get to the shows. Adorning “Van-A-White’s” antennae is the aptly named mustached baby-doll, “Van Wilder.” The current “Van Wilder” is a clone of the original, who was brazenly stolen first during a show at the Hard Rock in Boston, then stolen again in Nashville. Any tips or leads on the baby-stealing culprits can be posted on www.joshthompsonofficial.com. Fans can get updates on “Van-A-White’s” adventures via Josh’s twitter page, @TheJoshThompson.

With his debut single, “Beer on the Table,” rocking the country airwaves, and his forthcoming album Way Out Here getting praise from critics, Thompson already has a lot to celebrate. On GAC’s Year-End Review, Billboard’s Wade Jessen recognized Josh Thompson as one to watch in 2010, and predicted that his current Top 25 single, “Beer On The Table,” “could be the break-through hit” early this year. CMT.com’s Alison Bonaguro shared a similar sentiment, praising Josh Thompson’s songs to be “the kind of country music that made me fall in love with country music.”

Fans looking forward to the February 23rd release can now pre-order Way Out Here on amazon.com.