When most of the world was trying to find ways to stay connected from behind screens, country singer John King took a different route. He has always been known for his heartfelt lyrics and energetic performances, but during the COVID-19 pandemic, he found a unique way to keep his fans engaged while embracing a lifestyle that brought his family closer together. Without a doubt, RV’ing has been one of the best decisions of his life. Here’s why:
Country star John King lives the dream, touring in a Shadow Cruiser
Instead of COVID-traditional couch concerts, King and his family took to the open road on a quest to bring their family closer together and to engage fans in a way not many other artists were doing at the time. Now, he resides in a beautiful Shadow Cruiser 325 MPG, which is small enough to fit in most camp sites and large enough to bring his wife, two girls, and a guitar on the adventure of a lifetime.
They tour the country for months at a time, stopping at jaw-dropping locations along the way, such as Glacier National Park and Yosemite. In between gorgeous locales, he plays at packed venues across the country, wowing the crowd with his award winning discography and Georgia-boy charm.
Thanks to a partnership with THOR Industries, the company responsible for iconic RV brands such as Cruiser and Airstream, he has also been able to create a whole lot of amazing content. Our favorite is King’s famous “Campfire Sessions,” where he jams to one of his hits in spectacular places around the country. King was super excited to share that he has more of these coming down the pipeline, including an acoustic version of his song, “Better Man,” which was featured on his album, “Always Gonna Be You.”
All-in-all, he’s living the dream.
RV life changes you for the better
A running theme throughout my interview with John King was that RV’ing changes your life for the better. By throwing yourself in an unfamiliar situation and making it work, you’re forced to reconsider who you are as a person and how your lifestyle serves you. Life on the road can be unpredictable, from flat tires to the availability of laundromats, and your ability to make lemons into lemonade will be sorely tested. That said, life on the road is not all sour grapes.
Some of King’s best adventures come from times when things didn’t go to plan. “There was one time when we were driving in Washington in the spring, and there were some really high winds, like 60-70 mph gusts. . . and when pulling an RV, that’s not what you want,” he said. It was starting to get scary, and they knew that they would not be able to make it to their destination, so they pulled into an RV park off the side of the road that happened to be by a beautiful river. “All these kids were there, and my daughters made friends, and they were just having the best time. At the end of the day, we were having dinner, and my daughter looks up at me and she says, “Dad, this is my favorite place we’ve ever camped.” I think if you can just embrace those [moments] and see where it leads you and be okay with the uncertainty at times, those are sometimes your gateway to the best adventures.”
Another journey that King and his wife have embraced is homeschooling their daughters. Since King is married to a former teacher, it wasn’t that big of a stretch for them. They bring all of their homeschooling materials with them, but the amazing part is that they encourage their girls to learn by getting them outside and visiting places of historical and cultural significance. More often than not, the kids are playing with sticks and rocks, taking hikes, and interacting with the world around them. This has allowed them to nurture their kids in a very hands-on way, while still meeting educational expectations.
When your RV only holds 2o gallons, kids learn water conservation habits really fast. There’s also more of an opportunity to practice skills like conflict management and tolerance and grace for those around you. There will be moments of teamwork and bumps along the road, but this lifestyle really suits the King family.
“I think the hardest part about it is the planning,” King said, alluding to the fact that how you pack could determine how much you enjoy your trip. If you want a functional living space at the end of the day, you won’t be able to pack for every single situation that could come up. King and his family plan their trip intentionally, right down to the amount of shirts and socks they bring. That way, their nomadic life won’t be full of things that they don’t need and have to constantly tidy up. What you take with you depends on where you’re going, what you’re doing, and your personal preferences, but you’ll probably be surprised at what you’re willing to live without when the world is your oyster.
King concludes with the idea that one of the biggest misconceptions surrounding RV’ing is that it’s hard or unattainable. “Some people may be deterred by the amount of work that goes into it, but really, I think anyone can RV. . . there’s enough great resources out there to help people plan trips, and there’s also great resources out there to help you find the right RV, like THOR’s RV finding tool.” He says. “There’s so many different types of RV’ing that there’s bound to be something out there [for you]. . . like glamping or boon docking. There’s really a hundred different ways you could do it.”
In this humble writer’s opinion, John King deserves every success in the world. Through RV’ing, he is able to balance a wildly successful music career and a healthy family life—something that not every musician can say. Down-to-earth and dedicated to a wholesome lifestyle, it’s no wonder that his music has deeply resonated with the world. Many thanks to John King for his exclusive interview, and we can’t wait to see where the road takes him next.
