Paisley brings tour to Jiffy Lube Live

Today, of course, Paisley is one of the leading stars in country music, not just because of his music, but for his charitable efforts — most recently some for Nashville, Tenn., flood victims. Although he lost plenty of gear and other items during the recent disaster, Paisley is back on the road behind his “American Saturday Night” album. “What we’ve done is create this summertime theme, essentially the combination of a water park and a concert,” Paisley told Entertainment Weekly of the current H20 Tour, which was named well before the flood took place. “It’s out in a plaza area with fun stuff like a fishing simulator and a dunk tank. We’re also tied in with Hope Through Healing Hands, which is a charity I’m working with to help places that don’t have clean drinking water.”

Paisley’s down-home attitude — which captivates both women and men — is no accident. Any longtime country music fan will tell you Paisley is a devoted fan of such stars as Merle Haggard and Johnny Cash. He’s chosen to follow in the footsteps of those and other entertainers who stay grounded despite massive stardom.

Of course his superb songwriting, singing and guitar mastery — leading Guitar One magazine to dub him “Eddie Van Halen on corn bread” — have also spurred his success.

What makes Paisley stand out is that his music ranges from comedic to traditional. When he sings about relationships, he can shift from the comical reality of “Little Moments” to the poignancy of “We Danced.” The one common denominator is that all his songs are anchored in reality.

“I don’t want to be one of those artists where someone says, ‘All the songs sound the same,’ ” Paisley said on “Austin City Limits.” “That’s why ‘Whiskey Lullaby’ and ‘Alcohol’ are so different; they’re on the same subject, but they’re completely different in what they say and how they sound. You’re going to write about love and about death and the other big topics, but the fun part is finding a new way to do it.”