by Andrew Leahey Country artist Josh Thompson kicked off his career in 2009, when the songwriter released his first single, “Beer on the Table,” and co-authored a song for Jason Michael Carroll’s Top Ten album Growing Up Is Getting Old. A native of western Wisconsin, Thompson began pouring concrete alongside his father at the age of 12, and a sense of blue-collar pride soon found its way into his music. He moved to Nashville in 2005, assembled a band, and received a boost when Columbia Records signed him to the label’s country division. “Beer on the Table” became a Top 40 country single in 2009, marking Thompson's first taste of chart success, and he spent the rest of the year touring and finalizing his debut album.