Dustin Lynch on Deciding to Pursue a Music Career After Getting Into Med School (Exclusive)

The country singer tells ET about how things just 'worked out.'

"It all worked out" for Dustin Lynch. The 35-year-old country singer released his fourth album, Tullahoma, earlier this year, but there was a time where he was considering medicine over music. 

As Lynch told ET's Rachel Smith during an exclusive visit to his Tennessee farm, he had gotten into medical school before making it big as a musician. 

"I was a major in biology and chemistry, and got into med school and told my parents I wanted to at least give music a legit shot before I went and chased that," he recalled. "So they didn't like that at all, but it worked out for me." 

Lynch's hunch was right -- and in 2018, he followed it to a 600 acre farm that now helps him clear his head and "be a better entertainer." 

"This is something I've kind of just [found] through self-discovery, what helps me be a better man, be a better entertainer, be a better songwriter, and leader and boss I think is having a place to go recharge and reset," he said. 

Quarantining during the pandemic has led to a bit of what Lynch calls "bird's nest" hair, plus a passion for flying. 

"I'm working towards my pilot's license and I could land us right now, I promise you," he shared. "We could get up, maybe with this wind, maybe not, I don't know." 

"I didn't realize how free you feel whenever you can hop in an airplane and go wherever you want to go and it opens a whole new world," he added. "Those that fly know what I'm talking about."

For now, he's happy to be near his favorite spot on his farm, the creek, which reminds him of his childhood. And he just gave a fresh eye to his song, "Thinking 'Bout You," which he re-released with MacKenzie Porter.

"'Thinking 'Bout You' has always felt special since the day I wrote the song," he explained, adding that he wanted to "shine a light on newer artists" when picking someone to accompany him in the new version of the track. 

"I didn't want to be persuaded based on looks or name or what camp they were a part of or if I knew who they were already, so I had my team remove the names when the submissions came in and just number them, so I had no idea who I was listening to," Lynch remembered. "I kept coming back to whatever number she was in the folder and so finally I said, 'I think this is the one that I'm in love with.'

And more new music is on the way. 

"I think a lot of us artists in Nashville, we haven't been touring as much, and the creative process comes a lot easier, there's no excuse now," he noted. 

"We've got several releases coming," Lynch teased. "Some of them point to life that's been at home and inspired by doing life here." 

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