Chase Rice Reflects on Love, Loss & Creative Freedom in New Album ‘Eldora’

Chase Rice's fifth studio album, Eldora, was born from a late-night detour rather than a boardroom session, turning a chance roadside encounter into a roadmap to the soul.

After lighting up Red Rocks, Rice and his bandmates found themselves winding through Colorado’s high country, where an abandoned lodge—Eldora Lodge—became the spark for an album steeped in heartbreak, hope, and hard-earned independence.

In this candid interview, Rice unpacks the personal stories behind the title track, the wartime tribute of “Circa 1943,” and the rollicking freedom of “Two Tone Trippin’.” He also reflects on stepping away from the label machine, the realities of nonstop touring, and his vision for intimate performances that let these new songs breathe.

Enjoy the conversation.

SI: Let’s dive into your new album, “Eldora”. I know you played Red Rocks, in Colorado, and then you ended up driving through a place called Eldora right after. Was that part of the plan or did it just happen?

CR: Funny enough, I’d never even heard of it, it wasn’t planned at all. We played the Red Rocks show, and I knew I wanted to ride out west afterward and just get away for a bit. I couldn’t go to Montana because I’ve got too many friends there. I needed to be somewhere quiet, somewhere unfamiliar. So, the next day, me, Oscar [Charles], and Wyatt [McCubbin] drove up through Rollinsville, Colorado, and we passed this old, abandoned hotel called the Eldora Lodge. It had been shut down for years. I looked at Oscar and said, 'I don’t know what the hell Eldora is, but we’re gonna write about it.'

That moment sparked the whole thing. Eldora became the girl in the song—either that’s her name, or she’s from there. I never really nailed that down. But the story came alive from just seeing that lodge and imagining what could’ve happened there.

The song itself is powerful. It’s about a couple who aren’t together anymore, but the guy comes back, trying to figure things out. There’s one line that gives it all away: “We were just two kids with too much life to live.” That’s the quiet reveal—they had an abortion. And you see it all the time: couples who go through something like that, or lose a child, and they just can’t survive it together. The separation rate is so high because the grief is too heavy.

In this story, they made a decision that tore them apart. But the guy’s saying, “We still love each other. Let’s try again.” That’s the heart of the song—and really, the heart of the album. It’s about hope. About facing the shame, the guilt, whatever it is that split you up—and choosing love again.

SI: Your two singles right now are doing really well, “Circa 1943” and “Two Tone Trippin”. But “Circa 1943” that one hit me hard. It’s such a moving tribute to your grandparents and that generation. Honestly, it’s one of my favorites you’ve ever put out.

CR: It’s mine too. Hands down, my favorite song I’ve ever released.

SI: Was it emotional to write? I know you embellished the story a bit, but the heart of it… I get chills just thinking about it.

CR: It was emotional, and I don’t even know why exactly. I’m tearing up just talking about it. It’s not my grandparents’ story. It’s not even a story I personally know—but you just know it happened to someone. Probably to a lot of people. There are so many kids out there who never met their mom or dad because they died in the war.

World War II has always fascinated me. Both of my grandfathers served—one in the Air Force, and one in the Navy. The guy in the song is a Marine. But it’s really about this couple, Harold and Berniece. He gets wounded, she’s the nurse who helps him heal, and they fall in love. He tells her, “If we ever make it out of here alive, come see my home in Superior, Montana.”

That line “By the way, if you ever make it to Superior, Montana”, it hit me hard. I was actually in Superior a couple years ago, hanging out with some buddies in a Montana cover band called Showdown. That’s when the idea really clicked. I was sitting right there when that chorus came to me.

So yeah, the story’s fictional, but the names, Harold and Bernice, those are my grandparents. It’s not their story, but I hope it honors them. And not just them, but that whole generation. The strength, the sacrifice, the love that endured through war and loss. That’s what “Circa 1943” is about.

SI: I mean, you are such a great storyteller. That’s why every time I listen to the whole album; I’ve got to hear it again. It pulls me back in every time.

CR: Heck yeah! I’m the same way. I find myself wanting to listen to it over and over, and I wrote it. That says a lot.

SI: Then there’s “Two Tone Trippin’ “. I mean, come on that song is just pure fun. It’s got this wild energy that makes you want to roll the windows down and laugh your way through it.

CR: I was laughing through the entire work tape of that one. Wyatt was playing it, and I just thought, “This is not a song I’d write on my own.” I don’t play guitar like Wyatt does, and he brought something totally different to the table. So did Oscar [Charles]. That’s the magic of co-writing when you’ve got people around you who push the sound in directions you wouldn’t go alone.

You can hear it on the tape; I’m just dying laughing. It’s a weird song, man. No chorus, just this freewheeling ride. But people are really digging it live, and we have a blast playing it. It’s got that no-rules, backroads kind of spirit.

SI: Was it Oscar who said something like, “This is where the two-tone trucks go to die”? That line stuck with me.

CR: Yeah, that was Oscar. We were driving through Rollinsville, Colorado, and he kept pointing out all these old two-tone trucks. They were everywhere. He finally goes, “Man, this must be where two-tones go to die.” And I swear, he wasn’t wrong. I’ve been living out west this summer, and I keep seeing them, Chevys, Fords, all kinds. It’s like Colorado, or maybe the whole western stretch, is just a graveyard of two-tone trucks. That line sparked the whole vibe of “Two Tone Trippin’”.

SI: Didn’t you get your own two-tone truck recently? It feels like Two Tone Trippin’ isn’t just a song, it seems to be your life right now.

CR: Yep. I bought one about two years ago at Barrett-Jackson. So, I got the truck, we wrote the song, and now I’m living the experience. It’s all full circle. What’s wild is, I’ve got another truck I’m living in out west, it’s a newer two-tone Ford, and it actually runs all the time. So yeah, I’m literally two-tone trippin’ in real life. I’m living the song.

SI: Let’s talk about the shift you made a couple years ago stepping away from your label to chase that creative independence. “Go Down Singin’” was such a bold, honest debut as an independent artist, and now you’ve followed it up with “Eldora”. As a fan, I feel like your authenticity really transcends what makes your music stick. What’s that journey been like for you?

CR: It’s been amazing and frustrating. You’ve got these songs people know you by, and when you pull up Spotify, it’s the same top 10 that rolled years ago. And I’m sitting here thinking, “How do I get these new songs heard?” I really don’t know. It’s tough when you don’t have a label pushing it or radio behind it. And that’s not a knock on anyone; I just haven’t given them something they’re used to playing.

But I believe in these songs. I believe one of them is going to punch through. Our whole focus has been letting go, letting go of chasing hits, letting go of chasing the mainstream. We’re just trying to write the best music we can possibly write. I really believe that’s what’s going to thrive in the long run.

There’s a quote from a book I read on a road trip recently that sums it up for me: “I don’t know where I’m going, but I know exactly how to get there.” That’s what these songs are about. I may not have the map, but I’ve got the compass. And I’m following it.

SI: Let’s talk about touring. You’ve been out on the “Go Down Singin’ “ tour for a while now, are you still rolling, and has the tour evolved since it started?

CR: Yeah, yeah, we’ve still got like 30-something shows left. We’ve got a ways to go.

It’s changed a lot, actually, and that’s been really cool. We’ve locked in as a team. We know what we’re doing now, or at least it feels like we do. The setlist is tight, the show’s dialed in. But I’ll be honest, I’m kind of getting tired of playing the same songs every night. We’ve done over 40 shows this year, and I’m really trying to lower that load. Not just for me, but for the band and crew. We’re gone a lot, and it takes a toll.

I want to get to a place where every time we hit the stage, it’s electric, where everyone’s genuinely excited to be up there. I mean we are, but it can be exhausting. So next year, we’re shifting focus. We’re figuring out how to promote this new music beyond just live shows. We’re starting work on the next project, which is gonna be called Appalachia. The challenge is: how do we build that while still playing shows, keeping everyone paid, but not being gone so damn much? That’s the goal, just finding a rhythm that gives us real energy and life moving forward.

Chase Rice with guitar — Ben Christensen

SI: Are you planning to do an Eldora tour?

CR: Yeah, I really want to. I feel like these songs deserve their own space, something intimate, something intentional. We’ve got to play these songs. I love them too much not to. But I want to change the way we do it. Be really conscious of the venues we’re going into. I don’t want people showing up expecting a big rager party. I want them to walk in knowing they’re about to hear some real songs, some real storytelling. Maybe even strip it down a bit more acoustic, rawer.

We’ll still celebrate the old stuff, of course. But I want the audience to know what they’re stepping into: a space built for listening. These new songs deserve that.

SI: How do you go about picking your venues? Especially now, with “Eldora” carrying such a different emotional weight than your earlier records.

CR: It’s a mix. Some of it’s places we’ve played before and know well. But the agents get involved too, and together we figure out the right spots. That said, I really want to change things up. I want people to walk in knowing this isn’t going to be a huge party, at least not the whole time. The songs are real, they’re raw, and they’re meant to be heard in a way that lets the storytelling breathe.

SI: I know you once wore the Carolina blue—and now, on September 1st, you’re heading back to Chapel Hill to play for your alma mater. That’s got to feel pretty special.

CR: That’s right. I was fired up. They didn’t even know I was already planning to come in for that game, I was just going to ask for bus parking. Then they came to me with the show, and I was like, “Yes. I’m available. Let’s do it.”

They offered to pay me, and I actually took less money so they could put the rest toward the football program and get some recruits in. I want my boys to win. That’s what it’s all about.

SI: You’ve mentored, collaborated, and shaped so many projects, but do you ever see yourself stepping fully into the producer’s role? Or are you just having too much fun riding the wave of your own creative energy?

CR: I actually produce my records with Oscar [Charles], and we work together really, really well. I love producing, but I also love having someone in the room who pushes me and helps shape the sound. Oscar’s changed my career, honestly. He’s changed the game for me, and the way these new albums sound is a direct result of that partnership.

I’d love to step into that role more one day. Right now, I’m focused on producing my own stuff and continuing to refine that. But yeah, it’d be really fun to work with a younger artist and help them find their sound.

We’re actually doing that right now with Hannah McFarland. Herb and Oscar went into the studio and produced a song called “Foolin’ “, which dropped on September 5th. Hannah and I sang it together, and we all worked on producing it as a team. It’s been a blast figuring out what her sound is going to be and helping her shape that. She’s got something special.

SI: Is there anyone you haven’t collaborated with yet, maybe a duet or co-write that you’d really love to make happen in the future?

CR: Absolutely. For Appalachia, I’d love to do a song with Charles Wesley Godwin. He’s incredible. He’s from the mountains in West Virginia and still lives there. We’ve talked, golfed a little, and kicked around the idea of writing something together for the next record. Even just one song, so we will see what happens.

Another group I’d love to work with is Flatland Cavalry. I think that’d be a blast. I actually wrote a song called Rainwater, and it could be something really special if Flatland’s willing to jump in on it.

SI: Aside from being a master gardener, which we know you are from your fierce competition with Dierks Bentley, what’s a skill or passion people might not know about you?

CR: Photography. I bought a film camera in Boston about four years ago, and that’s really when I started feeling the pull to be out west more. I’d go out and shoot, just take pictures of the land, the light, the quiet moments. I’ve taken a ton of photos with that camera, and it’s become something I really love.

Film’s different. You can take a million shots on your phone or a digital camera, but with film, you only get one crack at it. There’s something honest about that. I’ve got this idea: five years from the day I bought that camera so, by 2028 I want to put out a coffee table book. Just a visual journal of my life over those five years. The places I’ve been, the things I’ve seen, the quiet in-between moments.

I actually just lost two rolls of film I shot in the Toronto airport. Left them behind, and I’ve been trying to get them back through lost and found. It’s been tough, kind of heartbreaking, honestly. But I’ve still got a lot of cool shots, and I’m excited to share them when the time’s right.

ELDORA Track List – Out September 19th

(songwriters in parentheses)

1. Cowboy Goodbye (Chase Rice, Oscar Charles, Foy Vance)
2. Tall Grass feat. Kashus Culpepper and Elvie Shane (Chase Rice, Oscar Charles, Foy Vance)
3. Namin’ Horses (Chase Rice, Oscar Charles, Wyatt McCubbin)
4. ELDORA (Chase Rice, Oscar Charles, Wyatt McCubbin)
5. Two Tone Trippin’ feat. Wyatt McCubbin (Chase Rice, Oscar Charles, Wyatt McCubbin)
6. Mr. Coors (Chase Rice, Oscar Charles, Wyatt McCubbin)
7. Circa 1943 (Chase Rice, Oscar Charles, Wyatt McCubbin)
8. Country & Western feat. Madeline Edwards (Chase Rice, Oscar Charles, Wyatt McCubbin)
9. Cottonmouth (Chase Rice, Oscar Charles, Wyatt McCubbin)
10. Good Side of Gettin’ Older (Chase Rice, Oscar Charles, Wyatt McCubbin)
11. One Drink Long (Chase Rice, Oscar Charles, Wyatt McCubbin)
12. Sunsettin’ (Chase Rice, Oscar Charles, Cleto Cordero)

For tour dates, merchandise and more, be sure to visit: Chase Rice Official