Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley made their way to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum on Sunday, February 6, to celebrate the opening of their exhibition, Florida Georgia Line: Mix It Up Strong.
In honor of the big day, Hubbard exclusively told PEOPLE that his wife Hayley rolled down the windows and turned on their career-altering record, Here’s to the Good Times. While hits like “Get Your Shine On” and “Round Here” blast through the speakers on the way to the display, Hubbard took note of their drastic growth since the record release in 2012.
“It sounded good,” Hubbard revealed to the publication. “But it’s also funny because I hadn’t listened to that album in years, and a lot’s changed even since then. I mean, that was 10 years ago. Sonically, production-wise, our voices – everything’s changed so much,” he mentioned about the perfect soundtrack that reflects their decade-long career.
The showcase transports fans back in time to when Hubbard and Kelley became friends in college. The memorabilia tells a touching story about their rapid rise to fame and how they successfully solidified their place within the country music scene.
FGL fanatics could expect to see sentimental artifacts such as Hubbard’s saxophone he played growing up, Kelley’s old-fashion baseball cap he wore in high school, Garth Brooks Takamine guitar that was used to co-write “Cruise,” and helmets they sported in the 2016 music video for “May We All.”
“I mean, this whole place is magic. It’s oozing full of just country music history and legacy… it’s unreal,” Kelley told The Associated Press. “For us, we got to come here and check it out as basically fans and new artists. 10 or 12 years later, for us to have an exhibit, it’s mind-blowing,” they added.
One area in the exhibit honors their chart-topping hit “Cruise” and country crossover track “Meant To Be,” which features pop artist Bebe Rexha. Through the glass, folks can analyze the two eye-catching diamond awards that signify their 10 million sales and streams. Up on a pedestal, there are also FLG’s two Triple Play Awards from 2014 and 2018. The two accolades serve as a reminder that the duo attained three No.1 songs within 12 months.
The numerous awards obtained throughout the years do not come as a surprise to the legendary band, as they have had their eye on the prize since college. From very early on, their mission was to break into the industry and to stand out among the rest.
“We were pretty intentional from day one about trying to be ourselves and not trying to copy other artists,” revealed Hubbard in an AP video that captured the monumental moment. “I think that was across the board from our sound to our clothes, to our style. It’s interesting – we’ve evolved a ton,” he added while standing in front of vinyls and an early 2000s disc book.
They continued to mention that their taste in music and perspective suddenly started to shift with age. Therefore, the two pointed out that it was uncomfortable to take a trip down memory lane and appreciate collectible items they amassed over the years.
“We were 20 when this thing started.” recalled the musicians. “Now, we’re in our mid-30s. So, you can imagine…our style, taste, and our perspective, and everything has changed drastically. It’s pretty wild to look back, and a lot of that I can’t believe I wore in public,” laughed Hubbard in complete disbelief.
The duo is set to perform at a dozen upcoming festivals to honor their decade-long career. “We’re sort of using these last 12 shows as a time to celebrate FGL, celebrate the fans, celebrate each other, and then support each other on the next chapter of our musical and creative journey, which is gonna be individually for a while. So we’re excited,” declared Hubbard to PEOPLE at the showcase.
Following speculation on whether the duo is breaking up, the pair officially put the rumors to rest and decided to set the record straight with the outlet.
“I think ’taking a break’ is the proper term, as opposed to breaking up,” said the Georgia native. “We’re not going our separate ways. We’re taking a break from recording our music. We’re being artists. We love creating. And so a couple years back, we started writing without each other and trying different writers, and now we’re both doing that without music,” Kelley chimed in to explain.
Wheels are already in motion, as Brian Kelley recently announced his solo tour set to kick off in April. Until tickets are available to purchase to see the hitmaker live, FGL fans can visit the striking exhibit until January 1, 2023.
