Brad Paisley‘s new hit is called “Southern Comfort Zone,” and it’s a song that Brad says was inspired after he’d just returned from stepping out of his usual comfort zone with a trip overseas. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)

• Stepping out of your personal comfort zone can help you appreciate where you’re from while it helps open your mind to new things, and Brad says that he’s definitely trying to stay outside of his musical comfort zone in the making of his upcoming album. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
• I Love a Parade: It was announced this week that Brad will be among the stars featured in the 29th annual Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade TV special. After previously contributing songs to the soundtracks to the hit films Cars and Cars 2, Brad will join Cars characters Lightning McQueen and Mater for a parade performance in the brand-new Cars Land at Disneyland Resort. Among the long list of parade special guests along with Brad, be watching for Lady Antebellum, Colbie Caillat, Backstreet Boys, TobyMac, and Yolanda Adams, among others. Tune-in for all the music and fun when the Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade airs December 25th at 10am, ET, on ABC.

  Brad Paisley recalls some of the feelings that helped inspire his song, “Southern Comfort Zone.” (:35)
“I had just gotten back from Paris and kind of realizing that I would never look the same at a painting after you walk through the Louvre your first time, after you see the Eiffel Tower, after you go to London and (laughs) try to communicate in a place like Paris where they’re, you know, you’re tryin’ to order a croissant, and they’re lookin’ at you like you’re from Mars, and you can’t wait to get home. You know? And the same with anywhere that you visit. Mark Twain always said nothing sort of eradicates prejudice like travel. And that’s one thing I’ve learned, I think, havin’ to go outside my comfort zone.

  Brad Paisley says that his approach to his upcoming album is in keeping with the spirit of leaving his comfort zone. (:27)
“This album is the same mentality, which is to leave my comfort zone in every way I possibly can and still make music that’s listenable, but feels like I’ve grown. And so when we finished this song, it was merely a track on the record that set the tone for it, and so now, you know, one other thing I realized: it was…it’s evolving for me, and it’s a lot of fun to have something out that feels a little bit artistic like this.”