Mitchell Tenpenny joined The Bobby Bones Show, talking about Tenpenny’s upcoming journey into fatherhood, his new music, and life on tour.
Bones began by congratulating Tenpenny, who shared that he and his wife are expecting a baby girl. Tenpenny could not be more excited and explained that he and his wife had wanted this for a long time. Bones, who had recently welcomed a child himself, offered advice and described the early weeks of parenthood as a blur, encouraging Tenpenny to take time off when the baby arrives. Tenpenny recalled the moment he found out about the pregnancy, his wife Meghan Patrick had woken up early and taken a test without his knowledge. While the two were saying grace before breakfast, she revealed the news during the prayer, thanking God for her husband and saying he would be an amazing dad. Tenpenny said the moment caught him completely off guard and admitted it as an overwhelming and emotional experience. Him and his wife had recently come to terms with the possibility that having children might not happen for them.
After taking a short trip and encouraging each other to accept that outcome, they were surprised when the pregnancy happened shortly after. Bones noted that Tenpenny’s wife had recently been in Atlanta with some of the show members who noted she was not drinking during the visit, which hinted at the news. Tenpenny laughed and joked that it was going to be one of the first signs people or fans may have noticed. Bones told Tenpenny that having a daughter brought out a softness in him that he did not expect. Tenpenny had seen a similar change in his brother after the birth of his niece, which is why he’s really excited about becoming a girl dad. When it came to publicly announcing, Tenpenny and Patrick chose to be cautious after they experienced the loss of a niece the previous year. While the experience brought their family closer, it made them hesitant to share too early.
The discussion then turned to Tenpenny’s new song, “Speed of Light.” He originally wrote the song with Teddy Swims and Dallas Wilson during a session intended for Swims’ project. Tenpenny said the idea began as “speed of life” but evolved into a hopeful song about having someone who is always there for you. After hearing the demo repeatedly, he felt the song reflected his current stage in life and decided to record it himself. While Tenpenny and Swims frequently collaborate and share vocal duties, this song felt especially personal. He is focused on releasing music that reflects who he is in the moment, rather than songs that no longer align with his life by the time they are recorded.
Tenpenny recently wrapped a series of shows and would soon join HARDY for select tour dates. That the opportunity came from reaching out directly, highlighting the informal nature of booking collaborations. When it comes to tour shows, he structures his setlist to balance fan favorites throughout the show, typically saving “Drunk Me” for the end. He admitted that the song is vocally demanding and requires him to warm up throughout the performance, which is another reason he keeps it for the end. Talking about the songwriting process, Tenpenny shared that constant writing can lead to burnout. He emphasized the importance of taking breaks to live life and find genuine inspiration, rather than focusing solely on quantity. He also shared that if a song idea does not fully come together, he encourages collaborators to reuse strong concepts elsewhere.
When asked to share something positive outside of the baby news, Tenpenny revealed that he is building his dream studio behind his home. He described the space as a peaceful retreat where he can create music with friends away from the typical writing schedule. Then things turned to tattoos, with Tenpenny explaining that many of his are spontaneous and often inspired by moments on the road, including one he got with Corey Kent.
