He Didn’t Come Here to Play It Safe | Jay Webb
Jay Webb’s first CMA Fest wasn’t about simply getting his name on the lineup.
Country artist Jay Webb joins Heart of the Gulch for an interview during his first CMA Fest in Nashville.
The Alabama native arrived in Nashville with the gritty, hard-hitting sound that has been building his audience across the country — and ended his first CMA Fest by closing out the Hard Rock Stage.
Jay joined Heart of the Gulch during CMA Fest 2025 to talk about that milestone, the rapidly growing community surrounding his music and the debut album bringing everything he’s built so far into one project: Where To Find Me.
Inside Jay Webb’s Heart of the Gulch Interview
Welcome to Heart of the Gulch, a Nashville-based interview show and country music platform featuring artists, singer-songwriters and personalities shaping music and entertainment. Host and creator Tony Mendoza sits down with Jay Webb during CMA Fest 2025 to discuss his Alabama roots, first CMA Fest, breakout songs and debut album Where To Find Me.
Heart of the Gulch host Tony Mendoza interviews Jay Webb during CMA Fest 2025 about his music and debut album.
For Jay, the goal isn’t to fit neatly into whatever country music is doing at the moment. It’s to make music that sounds unmistakably like him.
Closing the Hard Rock Stage at His First CMA Fest
There are easier ways to ease into your first CMA Fest.
Jay instead found himself closing out the Hard Rock Stage in downtown Nashville, bringing the same raw energy that helped turn listeners online into an increasingly passionate fanbase.
Jay Webb discusses his debut album Where To Find Me and the music that has helped build his growing fanbase.
It was another major step for an artist whose journey began far away from the stages and crowds of Nashville.
During our conversation, Jay reflects on his small-town roots and what it means to watch those songs now connect with people across the country.
Building His Own Lane
Songs like “Down Here,” “Broken” and “Bury Me With Bourbon” have introduced listeners to an artist who isn’t particularly interested in sanding down the rough edges.
There’s grit in Jay’s music, but there’s also vulnerability.
That combination has helped him build a community that continues to grow as more listeners discover his music — and it has already taken him through a headline tour of his own.
Jay Webb celebrates performing at his first CMA Fest and closing out the Hard Rock Stage in downtown Nashville.
Instead of chasing what’s trending, Jay is betting on authenticity.
One More Shot Before Where To Find Me
That approach carries directly into “One More Shot.”
The gritty, gospel-tinged song captures some of the emotional weight behind Jay’s debut album, Where To Find Me, arriving July 25.
The project represents a major milestone for an artist who has spent years building his career song by song, show by show and fan by fan.
His first CMA Fest gave Jay Webb another big stage.
Where To Find Me gives listeners the chance to hear exactly who he is.
Watch Jay Webb on Heart of the Gulch
Watch the full Jay Webb interview from CMA Fest 2025 as he joins Tony Mendoza to discuss closing the Hard Rock Stage at his first CMA Fest, his Alabama roots, “Down Here,” “Broken,” “Bury Me With Bourbon,” “One More Shot” and his debut album Where To Find Me.
Tony Mendoza is the Nashville-based host and creator of Heart of the Gulch, featuring conversations with country artists, singer-songwriters and personalities from Nashville and beyond.
