Brad Paisley Says He ‘Felt Fear’ Traveling To Ukraine

Brad Paisley showed his support for Ukraine in January after he joined Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on a Zoom call and encouraged people to donate to the country who are at war with Russia. Brad also included the Ukrainian President on a song called "Same Here," which will be on his upcoming album. It will be his first album for UMG Nashville.

Paisley talked to us at his Nashville area home yesterday afternoon (6/21) and said that when he later (April 2023) visited and met Zelenskyy face-to-face on a trip to war-torn Ukraine, he admitted after the security briefing and secret details of his journey, he was a bit nervous.

He told us, "I definitely felt fear in a way that I almost never do. I'm not used to that feeling. I wrote my kids and wife letters before I left, saying why I am doing this. I couldn't really tell anybody other than Kim (his wife), and my Dad knew that I was going, but other than that, this is the kind of thing you have to keep secret."

Brad continued, "One of the things I wrote my kids I remember in the letter was, 'I hope you know why I am going, which is that I believe in this and I believe that I'm helping. And I believe that when you grow up, and you have opportunities to make a difference, even if it's scary or seems like a risk, it's worth it.' I wanted to leave that because you just never know. You leave that for them to read. That's sort of a consolation as to the fact that I knew what I was doing."

Never one to miss a chance to joke a little, Paisley said when we asked him how his wife felt that he was going to such a dangerous place. "Kim seemed absolutely fine with it. In fact, it was kind of a funny thing when someone asked her afterward, 'Were you nervous?' and she was like, 'Nah.' Now I like to think she was, but my kids, I don't think they knew it was that dangerous, maybe. When you're a kid, everything you see on TV, who's to say what's real now."

Brad Paisley has been a staple in country music since his 1999 debut. As a brand new artist, he immediately embraced the Grand Ole Opry, making friends with many of the Opry legends, including Little Jimmy Dickens and many more.

Brad has continued to embrace the Opry over the years, having been made a member of the Opry family in 2001 and read a letter that George Jones wrote to him to the crowd that very night, just two years since his musical debut in Nashville.

Having toured extensively throughout his career (Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift started off their touring life opening for Paisley), he just recently (2022) made his first trip to Australia to perform for the fans down under.

Brad was the CMA Awards show host for many years along with his friend Carrie Underwood and had a comedy special that he hosted in 2017 and can be streamed on Netflix.

As Paisley celebrates his 50th birthday today (10/28), we honor him with what we believe are his 20 best songs to date.