Country singer-songwriter Keith Anderson will bring two decades of charting hits and road-tested stage energy to the Murray Theater on Friday, March 27, at 7 p.m., as part of a tour that revisits the songs that established his national profile while introducing newer material to live audiences.

Anderson, who first gained national attention in the mid-2000s, describes himself primarily as a songwriter whose work is grounded in personal experience and detailed imagery.

“I started out as a songwriter, so I’ve always liked to write songs that have a meaning. Something that takes you back to a time and a place that means something,” Anderson said. “Lyrics that bring back the memories of a moment, a smell, a feeling, a sound, etc. Most of my songs came from a specific experience in my life.”

That approach shaped the song that introduced many listeners to his music. “Pickin’ Wildflowers,” released more than 20 years ago, became his first major hit and remains closely associated with his career.

Reflecting on the song today, Anderson pointed to the moment it marked in his professional life.

“Just the excitement of having that first big hit and knowing my life would be different from that moment going forward. And how much fun we had in the studio making that first CD.”

Keith Anderson’s Pickin’ Wildflowers tour stops at the Murray Theater on March 27. (Photo courtesy of Keith Anderson)

Although the single’s success helped define his early trajectory, Anderson said the decision to release it was deliberate rather than accidental.

“We believed in that song way before I finally signed my first record deal,” he said. “And part of singing with Arista Records was the fact that they believed in it also and agreed to make it my first single.”

Listeners who associate Anderson primarily with ballads may encounter a different emphasis in a live setting. He noted that his concerts lean heavily toward higher-energy material.

“It’s funny because my three biggest hits are power ballads. But I only have four ballads in my whole show. I’m a rocker by nature,” Anderson said. He cited a duet with Steven Tyler of Aerosmith and an appearance by Tommy Lee of Mötley Crüe in one of his early music videos as examples of that influence. “We rock it pretty hard and want to have a party on stage every night. The more the audience sings along and parties with us, the better.”

Despite the years that have passed since “Pickin’ Wildflowers” was released, Anderson said his personal connection to its themes has remained consistent.

“Nothing has changed. I still feel like I’m in my 20s and still believe in crazy, fun, spontaneous love.”

Over the course of his career, Anderson has worked both as a recording artist and as a songwriter for himself and others. Asked whether his sound or writing style has shifted, he described continuity rather than reinvention.

“My songwriting approach hasn’t changed. I’m still trying to write the best songs I can that tell a great story and make people feel something, remember a great moment in time, laugh, cry, etc. The same thing I’m feeling when I write a song,” he said. “Luckily, I’ve lived a good life so my voice has remained strong through the last 20 years of constant touring. So, I’m not sure my sound has changed much.”

Country music as a genre has undergone stylistic shifts since the mid-2000s, but Anderson views the changes as part of a longer pattern.

“It really hasn’t changed that much,” he said. “When I started there were people that said I was to rock and roll what Rascal Flatts was to pop and we needed more pure country music on country radio. But there was always a great mix of rockin’ country, pop country and pure country. Same as today.”

He also referenced earlier eras in country music history to illustrate his point.

“H---, most people don’t remember that Willie and Waylon and all the ‘Outlaws’ became the Outlaws for a reason. Everyone in Nashville thought they were too edgy and not country enough,” Anderson said, later adding, “The more variety of sounds/styles country music has, the more variety of fans country music attracts.”

As he continues touring and recording, Anderson said he hopes audiences leave his shows with an appreciation for both familiar material and upcoming projects.

“I hope they still love the old songs and still enjoy the live shows. And I hope they are as excited as I am about the new music that’s coming and the new shows.”

Keith Anderson’s Pickin’ Wildflowers tour stops at the Murray Theater on March 27. (Photo courtesy of Keith Anderson)