Lee Brice

That’s a good thing. People in this business want to say they’re on the “same page.” In this case, they’re telepathic.

“We’re an overnight, 10-year success,” manager Haley McLemore told Pollstar. “In 2007, he was in a van and trailer. They were traveling in a 15-passenger van and he was relentless. He just wouldn’t stop. There was no one that could tell him he couldn’t go and play.”

Next day, we called up Brice’s agent, Risha Rodgers, and this is what she had to say:

“It’s funny that people think Lee has just showed up out of nowhere,” Rodgers said. “I’d say it’s a 10-year, overnight success. We’ve been doing this for a while. We didn’t wait to have a hit to get him touring. He was in a van and trailer. He just wanted to play. It wasn’t about the money. We just knew he needed to be in front of people, and he just loves to play.”

What about Brice’s live performance? McLemore, along with partner Enzo DeVincenzo, quit her job at a record label to manage Brice back in 2007, when he was only known for writing a Garth Brooks tune.

“There was something about him performing acoustically,” she said. “He allows you to see his soul. I don’t know if a lot of people quite honestly can show you that.”

Rodgers, who has been touring Brice for five years, had something similar to say. Make that something identical to say.

“When he sings, it’s very believable,” she said. “You can relate to his music. People think they know him when he performs.”

Brice, because of his last album (including the massive hit “Drive Your Truck”), is up for five awards at the ACMs, including male vocalist, record and song of the year, plus new artist. He’s supporting Luke Bryan’s stadium tour throughout 2014.

“I think he’s a superstar,” Rodgers said. “I think he has everything it takes.  And he wants you to work for him as hard as you can because he’s up there working as hard as he can. He’s giving his all and it makes his team want to give its all.”