By Ryan Gueningsman, Staff Writer

Bryan White: Ryan, how you doing bud? Bryan White.

Ryan Gueningsman: Not too bad, how about you?

B.W. Good.

R.G. Should we get started here?

B.W. Sure, man.

R.G. I’m sure you’ve been interviewed many times. What is the one question you’ve never been asked or the one thing you’ve never got to tell people that you want them to know about yourself?

B.W. You know, I get this one sometimes and I never know how to answer. I guess, maybe, what’s it like in a normal day, not working for me or something. I guess if I were to answer it, I’d say I’m just as human as the next person. When I’m not working or I’m home, you know, I just like to be outside, go fishing, play golf, or anything like that. I get a real big kick out of going to places like Home Depot. Basically, I’m just as human as the next person, and I like to go out and do that stuff all the time.

R.G. That’s cool to know. Someday I may see you in Menard’s or Home Depot or someplace like that.

B.W. Yeah, you can find me in there at anytime.

R.G. Alright, before you were signed to Asylum (White’s record label), their president told you to spend a year writing. Where do you find the motivation to keep producing and writing hit songs?

B.W. Well, when you write a song, and you are lucky enough to hear it on the radio, and it becomes a hit, those are the things that fire you to want to keep the train rolling, keep riding it. Plus, when you first finish a song that you are proud of, that right there is inspiring enough to want to write another one. It’s sort of like a chain reaction, and it’s been going since I moved to town.

R.G That’s right, you’ve been pretty lucky in Nashville. Since your first album took off the way it did, you’ve been involved with many different projects, like your duet with Shania Twain or your duet with Amy Grant. What has been your most favorite project?

B.W. The most favorite one . . . well, this wasn’t the single favorite, but the fact that I got to sing with Steve Wariner, and that duet was a big deal to me. Plus, without his music, I’d probably not be here, cause I’ve pretty much idolized Steve growing up, and everything I did, I wanted to be Steve Wariner. When I was 15, I had everything down to the haircut, and it’s really neat to know that he is the nice guy I always hoped he would be as a kid. So that was a big honor, to sing on an actual record with Steve.

R.G. Besides Steve, who do you cite as some other musical influences?

B.W. Well, let’s see, Vince Gill, Ronnie Milsap, Nat King Cole, Bonnie Raitt, singers like that I’m really into a lot.

R.G. What was it like singing with Shania? (Their duet, “From This Moment On” went to #1.)

B.W. Well, with Shania, it was an awesome, neat experience for me. I got to go out to Lake Placid, New York, out to their home, and I worked with Shania and her husband on that duet and, basically, it was just awesome. They wanted me to sing exactly like I sing. They didn’t want me to alter my voice or sound or anything like some producers do, and I just basically got to be myself. When I would come up with an idea, they would sort of let me run with things that I thought I wanted to do vocally and as long as I blended with her, which I think both voices blended real well. I think it was a neat experience, a big learning experience for me, too.

R.G. What are some plans of yours coming into the new millennium?

B.W. Well, my immediate plans, right now, I’m writing a lot and starting to get ready for another project. I have a fairly new album out right now. We’re promoting it and trying to get hits off of it, and in Nashville, that’s the thing. As soon as we finish a project, we’re always starting a new one, just to stay ahead in the game. I’m kind of trying to stay ahead in the game, trying to get prepared for a new project . . . writing and doing some pre-production stuff, and also, I’m planning a wedding at the same time, so those are the main things that I’m really focused on for this year, and I think that it’s going to be a great year. In one way, it’s going to be a great year for me, but as far as the music goes, I’m going to press it as hard as I can to make great things happen this year.

R.G. Back to the wedding. How did you meet Erika (White’s fiancé Erika Page), or who set you up?

B.W. Actually, we met through a mutual friend of ours . . . introduced us to each other and basically, since our first date in L.A., we’ve been together for about three years now.

R.G. I was reading that she plays on “One Life To Live.”

B.W. Yeah, she’s on One Life on ABC at one o’clock and she’s done a lot of prime time stuff. She had a show on prime time called “Second Noah,” and she’s done “Diagnosis Murder,” and “L.A. Heat,” and all that kind of stuff, but now, she’s been doing One Life for about two years now.

R.G. Let’s talk a little bit about your current album. I was listening to it, and the song “Shari Ann” stuck out. Where did the idea come for that song?

B.W. Shari Ann . . . one of the people I didn’t mention that I should have when you said ‘list influences’ was a guy named Max Carl. He’s one of those underrated musicians/artists in the rock and roll/pop world, and he’s one of the greatest singers on the planet, and we got together, and heard about each other through different people and he was a good friend of my mom’s back in the ‘80s and he called me up one day, and we got together, and that was the first and only song we’ve written together. He’s singing harmony on it, playing keyboards and the idea came . . .we were humming around and we really didn’t have anything yet, and Max yelled out Carry Ann. We came up with this story about . . .we wanted to come up with something kind of feisty, about a girl playing hard to get, and overall, basically, it’s a song that says you’ve met your match, and I mean it’s kind of what the song’s about and he’s sort of acting big and bad, and still falling for her. So it’s a cool song and it’s got a rhythm and blues influence on it, a lot of guitar playing and keyboard stuff.

R.G. Yeah, it has a unique sound to it. Real cool.

B.W. Thanks.

R.G. Back in, I believe it was 1996, I saw you at the Minnesota State Fair.

B.W. Was it on the small stage?

R.G. Yeah, you were there with 4 Runner.

B.W. Yeah, we were doing a few shows a day. I remember that. Our bus was broke down then, too, for like, three days, but I wrote a lot of songs during that time. We’ve been there, I think, every year since then.

R.G. Where’s your favorite place to tour?

B.W. That has got to be one of my favorites — in Minneapolis. The State Fair’s a blast, but there’s also a lot of great places to play in Minnesota in general. Wisconsin, too — those two states, there’s always a ton of people that come out to see us up there, always real vibrant, real live, and always seem like they’re having a great time when they come to see us.

R.G. Is there anything you’d like to say to the people up here in Winsted, Minnesota?

B.W. Just overall, to all Minnesotans out there, I just want to say thanks for all the support because, statistically, we’ve sold more records in that state than any other state and any other market. So, just a big thank you for being so supportive of our music, and even though it’s not straight down the line traditional country. It’s always had a lot of variety. I’m glad they’ve always enjoyed what I do.

R.G. Well, thanks for your time, and I’m looking forward to seeing you out here.

B.W. Thank you, man.

R.G. Alright, you have a great day. Bye.

B.W. You too, bud. Bye.