Red Clay Strays guitarist Drew Nix is feelin’ good these days, and with good reason. Down more than 80 pounds since committing to a training and nutrition plan, the transformation has helped him physically become more energetic onstage. Perhaps most important, Nix recently told Dale Earnhardt Jr., he’s seen a life-changing improvement in his mental health, which is helping he and his wife work toward having a child.
Speaking with the NASCAR legend on a recent episode of the Dirty Mo Media Podcast, Nix said he decided to go all in and focus on his health amid fertility challenges.
“It’s just good for my head now,” he says. “I’m in a way better headspace, and I really just started it. Me and my wife are trying to have a kid, and we’ve had problems. So I took it upon myself to be in the best shape that I possibly could be, and I’m pretty good shape now.”
Nix has shared with his fans some of the training—including body0weight exercises along with some CrossFit—that’s gone into his weight loss. Another activity he along with several bandmates have begun participating in whenever they get an opportunity, is hockey, a high-intensity activity which is a great cardio workout.
“It’s a really just great way to stay active and keep your brain active,” Nix said.
He’s Not Alone When It Comes to Focusing on Health
Nix is just one of several band members who are now adding an extra emphasis on making fitness and better overall health and active part of daily life, especially on the road. For frontman Brandon Coleman, wellness also means avoiding alcohol. The singer said he no longer drinks, for what seems like solid reasons: Performing while hungover makes it harder to do his job.
“Drinking and partying—that’s why I don’t do that for a lot of reasons,” he says. ” I can’t do what I do, hung over, is what it’s doing to my body.”
Coleman has described his voice as an audible reflection of his health, noting that illness can affect his ability to perform. The demands of a show don’t end when the encore does: lingering adrenaline can keep him awake until 3 or 4 a.m., leaving little time for his voice to recover before the next performance. The band takes seriously its responsibility to the fans packing arenas—and wants to give them a show worth coming back for.
“Your voice is pretty much an audible representation of your health,” Coleman says. “Sometimes we have shows where I’m sick, and and it just sucks. You’re not going to be able to perform your best, and I’ll tell the crowd too. You know, I’m a little under the weather, but we’re going we’re going to go on with the show. We don’t really like canceling shows.”
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