SANDPOINT — As Coeur d’Alene native Colby Acuff prepared to write his next album, he and his producer, Eddie Spear, took an unorthodox route to find inspiration.  

They asked 40 random people off the street about their lives, to gain insight about living in modern America, stories and themes. He said that almost everyone answered very similarly, that living in America “isn’t getting any easier.” 

"I realized that I wasn’t going to end up with 11 unique stories from 40 people, I needed to write 11 songs about 360 million people to explain what it's like to be alive,” Acuff said. “If I can give some people some agency and making them realize they’re not alone and maybe it's not as great as everyone says it is... I’m just hoping the people won’t feel so lost.” 

The fifth generation Idahoan’s ability to grasp the complexity of working and surviving in the modern world continues to be a staple in his catalogue. It’s that ability that has skyrocketed Acuff from small shows at bars in North Idaho to over 1 million monthly listeners on Spotify. 

Despite an explosion in popularity over the last year, touring with country giants like Luke Combs and Midland, Acuff remains grounded to his roots in the region. That’s one of the reasons he’ll be playing at The Hive in Sandpoint this Friday. 

Acuff has always been one fascinated with music and finding songs that spoke to him. He played his first live show at 11 years old at 1210 Tavern in Coeur d’Alene, but success did not come easy, nor quick for Acuff and his band. 

"Once I got out of college, I was very below average income, I was a fly-fishing guide by day and a cover band by night,” Acuff said. “Me and my boys are the hardest working band in the world, the only reason why we got from Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, to Nashville, Tenn., is because we simply will work harder than you.” 

The hard-working mentality is something that Acuff credits to growing up in North Idaho. He said that while he may have left the region to pursue music and tour, he’s never left the region, mentally. 

"It’s bred into me, the stubbornness, there’s just something in the water there,” Acuff said. “It’s kind of the only thing I know.” 

As any native North Idahoan will tell you, the region has dealt with significant change over the past decade. Acuff has felt that change, saying sometimes he doesn’t even recognize his hometown of Cd’A.  

“The West has been found and exposed and just like anything that’s been exposed it’s being used,” Acuff said. “A lot of us feel a responsibility to be stewards for the land and give a voice to a lot of the area that can’t speak for itself.” 

That change heavily influenced Acuff growing up as he sought to write songs that spoke to him as the works of Willie Nelson, Hank Williams and others had done so before. A feeling of nostalgia of simpler times in the region permeates through Acuff’s work like in the song "Dying Breed." 

Another recurring theme in Acuff’s work is the feeling of being an outsider and struggling to find a place in the world. This comes from his perspective on his role in the world, he said he sees himself as an observer. 

"It's me looking at the fishbowl and tapping the glass,” Acuff said. “I’m put here to tell people how they feel, not make them feel something, everything I’ve written about is to evoke an emotion that I’ve seen myself or someone else feel.” 

Acuff’s incredible ability to connect with the working class is no accident and it's something that his next project will explore in detail. He said his next work will be a concept album exploring the trials, tribulations and successes of two characters, just trying to make it by. 

"It talks a lot about how hard it is to be a human right now and how that’s okay,” Acuff said. “I’m hoping that people are looking for something like that right now and I hope that they are because I feel we need it.” 

Although the region has seen its fair share of change, Acuff still feels a magnetism to the region. Sandpoint is a familiar place for Acuff, he said he has fond memories of skiing at Schweitzer, playing small shows and duck hunting in the wilderness outside of town. 

"That’s like my reset button,” Acuff said about North Idaho. “It’s very important for me to come back and reset ... get in the woods with no cell phone service and really sit there and think.” 

Acuff kicks off a three-show trip to the North Idaho and Montana region with his show at The Hive this Friday, tickets can be purchased on The Hive’s website.