Foo Fighters’ Chris Shiflett Talks Challenges He’s Faced as a Solo Act and “Standing on the Same Piece of Wood” as Hank Williams

While a guitarist, Chris Shiflett found success in the music industry thanks to joining the rock band Foo Fighters back in 1999. Given their success on and off the stage, the musician eventually found himself inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2021. But besides shredding on the guitar, the musician also has a solo career. With his latest album Lost at Sea released in 2023, the singer recently discussed the challenges that came with being the one leading the concert. 

Discussing what it is like to be in the spotlight with Classic Rock magazine, Shiflett admitted that it took some time to get comfortable. “Guitar playing is my comfort zone. But to be the singer and then also have to talk to the crowd, I had to work at that. What you realize is that people want to have a good time.” Noting how fans go to great lengths to see him like hiring a sitter, buying tickets, and making it to the event, he added, “They’ve invested in the evening. So that’s my job up on stage, to provide them with a good time. Once I figured that out, things got a lot better.”  

[Don’t Miss The Chance To See Chris Shiflett In Concert]

Besides wanting fans to enjoy the show, Shiflett also tries to stay in the present when it comes to writing. With many artists today focusing on nostalgia, the musician said, “I’m constantly digging into earlier periods in my life. And I find myself pushing back against that because too much nostalgia is a dangerous thing. I try to write in the present. I have a pretty happy life, but I’m not comfortable with happy-go-lucky, zip-a-dee-doo-dah songs.” 

Chris Shiflett Recalls Standing Where Hank Williams Stood

With Shiflett recording most of the album in Nashville, the singer even received one of country music’s highest honors when he was asked to perform at the Grand Ole Opry. Knowing what the opportunity meant, he insisted, “You don’t go into that building without knowing the history of it. The stage, you’re standing on the same piece of wood where Bill Monroe and Hank Williams stood.”

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Although Shiflett once believed he wasted too much time earlier in life, he now celebrates that he is able to perform full-time and always had a career in music.  

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(Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)