Russell Dickerson doesn’t just want you to be a fan of his chart-topping music—he wants you to feel better because of it. Whether he’s sprinting from end to end of his stage at any one of his shows during his hugely successful RussellMania tour, the country star is on a simple mission at every performance. It’s about adding fun and energy to the electric entertainment for every fan that evening.
“I want to bring positivity into the world,” Dickerson says. “If somebody is down and somebody is heartbroken or whatever, I want them to put my record on and be like, Oh yes, let’s go get it. Get a little happiness, get a little joy into their life with some RD jams.”
For Dickerson, who’s riding a wave a success with his latest album, Famous Back Home, including the popular anthem “Happen to Me,” there’s no room for heartbreak ballads or bourbon-soaked sorrow. “I don’t pour whiskey on my heartache. I wake up and I’m like, yo, let’s make today the best day ever. That’s why I wrote ‘Good Day to Have a Great Day.’ There’s no super heavy, negative, dark songs on this album… Life is too short and busy to dwell on negativity.”
But even keeping a upbeat spin can at times be emotional, and the shredded singer is no exception. Take his recent stop at New York City’s Pier 17, where he performed in front of a sold-out crowd in the city where his career began. As a childhood photo of himself at the Statue of Liberty flashed on the screen during “What a Life,” Dickerson says he looked out and saw the real Statue of Liberty in the distance. Even he didn’t expect the overwhelming show of emotion the moment brought on. “I just, like, broke down, like, weeping, crying,” he admits. “Little eight-year-old me, to look and see Pier 17, to look, to see what I’m seeing, what we’re doing—it was just a crazy, full-circle moment.”
You can check out all of Russell Dickerson’s interview—as well as every other episode of the Country Muscle Podcast—on the Country Muscle YouTube Channel.
5 Takeaways from the Russell Dickerson CMP Appearance
- Staying Fit and Ripped for RussellMania: Dickerson transformed his training to match the energy and look of his “RussellMania” tour. His training focused on both aesthetics and stamina. “You can’t name a tour WrestleMania and not have the body to back it up,” he says.
- WWE-Inspired Spectacle: His live shows come fully equipped with wrestling ropes, dramatic entrances—with WWE announcer Austin Romero announcing his stage entry, blending country music with pro wrestling flair. “We got Austin Romero—He does our entire show intro. He’s like, welcome to WrestleMania.”
- Protein-Powered Nutrition: Dickerson’s diet centers on animal-based protein, both at home and on the road. “My only macro I really focus on is protein. So I just focus on ground beef, egg, red meat—they’re definitely very animal based.”
- Platinum Success: His single “Happen to Me” became a surprise hit, earning platinum status and over 187 million streams. “As soon as it came out, everybody on my team was flabbergasted, to say the least.”
- Consistency is Key: Whether on tour or at home, Dickerson credits his results to regular workouts and smart nutrition. “The consistency is what’s shown to be the most valuable asset in my workouts.”