Parker McCollum with the jokes. The Limestone Kid is having some fun on his press interviews talking about his new record, PARKER MCCOLLUM. McCollum previously revealed that he felt some apprehension while recording some of these songs in the studio, and that he often questioned if he was making the right decisions on this record. Still, he also admitted that he had not enjoyed making a record as much as he had enjoyed creating this one, and that ultimately, it was the best he could offer: “I’d freak out, like, ‘What have I done? This is career suicide.’ Then I’d go back to the studio the next day and keep recording. You’re forced to sit there and live with the album for several days in a row, so you’re on this journey of ‘All right, this is who I am.’ But I just never enjoyed making a record as much as I enjoyed this one.” Now that the album is out everywhere, he’s sitting down and talking more about the content on the record and where he drew inspiration for some of the songs. While McCollum is still holding close to his chest what songs are fact or fiction, he is opening up about what other artists inspired the sound of this album. During a recent interview with TalkShopLive, McCollum decided to have some fun with the interviewer, responding to a question about his musical influence with a sarcastic answer. When asked who his musical influences are, McCollum, without hesitation, says: “Like Flo Rida was huge for me. Britney Spears was really big for me. The Backstreet Boys were really big for me.” McCollum sits back and lets the interviewer reel, trying to figure out how to pose the next question, given the non-country artists he listed off. And I have to give it to this woman, she handled the moment with grace, not questioning McCollum, given the serious tone he delivered the names with. I’d be so stunned it would have taken me a minute to recover. “Someone who would probably think Backstreet or Britney might be like, ‘Oh, those are odd.’ But I guess I don’t see that given your musicality.”  McCollum doesn’t keep up with the joke for long, though, quickly telling the woman that he was pulling her leg and those are not at all his musical influences (but I think we all could have guessed that). “I’m completely making that up. I’m just joking. I can’t see you through the screen. You took that hook, line and sinker. That’s so good. I hope somebody has that screen recorded.”  The interviewer then shares that she does not usually joke around, so she took his unusual answer in stride, ready to dive deeper into why he listed those artists. Although, I think Parker’s influences have been pretty well-documented over the years. After the hilarious moment, McCollum answers the question earnestly, sharing that a wide variety of artists influence him. “Musical influences for me, it’s a long, long list that is all over the place. And it’s like stages of my life, like what I was exposed to from the time that I was a kid, high school, early twenties, and stuff. But to give you a summary, that would include the vast landscape of that list… You know, John Mayer, George Strait, Chris Knight, Rodney Crowell, Randy Rogers, Pat Green, Turnpike Troubadours, Ryan Bingham, Ryan Adams. A lot of Ryan Adams. Todd Snider and Hayes Carll. I mean, I could just go on. James McMurtry. On and on for days.”  The interviewer then jokes back that, basically, anyone but Britney Spears influenced him. @talkshoplive @parkermccollum with the jokes! Stream his full interview on-demand. #ParkerMcCollum #musictok #countrymusic ♬ original sound – TalkShopLive It’s cool to see McCollum list off people with whom he has a personal relationship as his musical influences. Early in his career, he was managed by Randy Rogers, and credits him for helping him think about the longevity of his career since the early days. McCollum is also a big fan of George Strait on and off the stage, and hopes to embody his values as a family man. “I’d be completely lying to you if I told you there wasn’t still the part of me that’s like, ‘Yeah, George Strait.’ With George, I would love to be the next George Strait off the stage: long marriage, great dad, great family man, great businessman, a spotless reputation, never been in trouble, never embarrassed his family on the news. I just think that’s so baller.  I think there’s not going to be a lot of people in 50 years who still got it all together like that man does.” With Hallie Ray Light already talking about wanting more children, he’s well on his way to becoming George Strait off stage. And speaking of Chris Knight, he covered “Enough Rope” for the new album: The post “Those Are Odd” – Parker McCollum Stuns Interviewer With Joke About Britney Spears & Backstreet Boys Being Big Musical Influences first appeared on Whiskey Riff.