Prior to taking the stage Jan. 31 at WestWorld’s Taste of the NFL, AZFoothills.com chatted with Phillip Sweet of beloved country quartet Little Big Town about life on the road and of course, football.

Arizona Foothills Magazine: I just watched a bunch of your music videos and you guys have amazing chemistry. What makes it work?

Phillip Sweet: Thank you. You know, we’ve been a band for over 15 years now. We’re friends, we’ve been through a lot of life together and I think we all just genuinely are there for one another. We’re out there all the time and we’re living our dream, so I think for us, it’s just what we love to do. We’ve seen each one of us go through a lot in our lives. We like to be spontaneous and that’s where a lot of the fun stuff comes from… We’re always looking to experiment.

AFM: Your “Pain Killer” Tour kicks off in less than two months. What do you like most about life on the road?

PS: I love going to new places, and I love meeting new people. I’m not one that would do well sitting behind a desk every day, and I like the adventure of traveling and seeing new things. It’s in my blood. I love to perform and play music and also I love to travel, so I get to throw all of those things together and do what I love for a living. It’s pretty incredible. The U.S. alone is so diverse, but there’s also a common thread between every place. But of course, every city or wherever you go, each area has it’s own unique personality… I really think there’s something to that. There’s something about Arizona that I love. You know, when I was a kid, we drove all over Arizona…Sedona… that’s a great place to go. Flagstaff. I feel good when I’m in Arizona [laughs]. There’s a good spiritual energy there.

AFM: Feelings going into awards season? The Grammys are in just a few weeks.

PS: I’m really happy, so grateful. It never feels like, ‘Oh, here we go again.’ Because you never know. You never know if you will or won’t get nominated. It’s really nice to get nominated, and it’s even better to win. But at the same time, it’s not like you hinge everything on that. But it’s a good pat on the back. It makes you feel like, ‘hey, they like what we’re doing.’ 

AFM: What can we expect at the Taste of the NFL concert?

PS: We’re going to bring you a lot of energy. High energy, fun. We like to have fun on stage and we’re good friends. And you know, there also will be moments…[with just] the guitar, but we’ll also make it a big show.

AFM: Will you have any time to explore Arizona while you’re in town? Anything you’re dying to see?

PS: I hope so. I really love to get out and see nature, the natural aspect of the land and stuff. If we have enough time to get out and about, it’d be nice to check out some stuff but typically, they keep us working [laughs]. But it would be nice to have a little minute to get out and eat somewhere nice.

AFM: Are you big football fans? Any emotional investment in the big game?

PS: Hell yeah. I love football. I like college, I like pros. All of us are big into football and you know, I grew up in the South. I’m so happy, I’ve never been to the Super Bowl. My first time. I like the thrill of it and I love watching… I mean, I love the teams that are in it – they’re incredible. So I definitely want to see the speed of the offense in person. I’ve never seen these two teams play in person, so it’ll be really fun to watch. Russell and Tom Brady go at it? That’ll be great. And I love Marshawn Lynch. He’s a beast.