BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Country singer-songwriter Phil Vassar will be performing at the Erie County Fair on Aug. 15 with Joe Nichols and Mark Wills. He spoke with WIVB ahead of the show.

“Everything’s good, I feel great,” Vassar said. “Summer’s really just kicking in and we’re starting to get rocking again.”

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Vassar released a new single in January, titled “What It Means,” reflecting on the heart attack he had in 2023 and the second chance at life he’s had since then. Vassar took a few years off, but has been excited to be back on the road.

“It’s kind of weird when that happens: you’re working out every day, you don’t drink, and you die anyway,” he said. “But man, I feel like a different person now. I feel great.”

Vassar said he found it cathartic to write through his experience, and that it was something he’d never thought he’d write about, which made it interesting. He said after he spoke with his friends about the heart attack, he decided to write about it.

During that writing process, the public opinion on Vassar’s health never crossed his mind.

“I thought it was a good experience just to kind of talk about it,” he said. “And, I mean, things happen, you know? Life is crazy, right? You never know what’s going to happen from one day to the next.”

He discussed the silver linings of the incident, noting how it got him off the road after touring for so long, and allowed him to spend a lot of time with his daughters.

“It’s been a blessing,” he said. “I just think about what would have happened if I hadn’t been able to keep going, if I would’ve just died right then and not been able to see them.”

In 2020, Vassar worked with his daughter Haley on the song “This is Where the End Starts” on his record “Stripped Down.” He complimented her writing skills and noted how she grew up alongside the music business.

“It’s fun to get to share something you love with with them,” he said. “They knew my whole — they’ve been on the road, they’ve been in busses, and they know what that’s all about.”

As far as Vassar’s inspirations go, he cited Billy Joel, Elton John, and Lionel Richie as his heroes in the music business, with their talents helping establish his love for piano music. He is in the process of finishing a cover of John’s “Rocket Man,” and recently released a cover of “Easy” by Commodores, as it was the first song he ever learned how to play on piano.

Vassar, who has written hits for the likes of Alan Jackson, Tim McGraw, and Jo Dee Messina, said though the songwriting process is different than it was when he began his career, it’s also cyclical.

“It’s a fluid thing where you’ll hear stuff that comes through and sticks, and you don’t know if it’s a trend or if it’s — I just kind of write songs, that’s my thing,” he said. “I just always try to write and not think about what everybody else is doing.”

He said his songwriting career changed his life, and he feels blessed to have worked with so many artists.

Vassar also said the most fun part about being a musician is getting to play live, particularly in the summertime.

“Getting to come out to festivals and fairs and eat some corn dogs and hang out with everybody, it’s fun,” he said. “You get to do that, and it’s my job, and so I really love that.”

Tickets to Vassar’s performance at the Erie County Fair are available at this link. The full interview can be watched at the top of this page or streamed on Spotify, on Apple Podcasts, and in the story above.

Adam Duke joined the WIVB digital staff in November 2021. He is the creator and host of the weekly arts & entertainment series and podcast ‘Buffalo Jukebox.’ See more of his work here.

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