Eli Young Band has spent the last few weeks making waves on their Love Talking Tour and embracing summertime at each location. The Grammy Award-winning ensemble is set to hit venues from coast to coast, leaving them with the opportunity to explore and kick back on beautiful beaches. EYB recently (July 10) pressed pause to catch up with Big Machine Label Group to recall memories they had seaside with their family.

Bass guitarist Jon Jones told BMLG that he has always been fascinated by the water and the shiny shells that wash up on the shore. The instrumentalist pointed out that his love for the ocean managed to get him into a sticky situation as a child, which involved the United States Coast Guard.

At the time, Jones was spending the day at the beach with his uncle.

"My uncle was, I think at the time he was a Colonel, may have been a General, in the Air Force," the musician mentioned. "But he was in charge of watching me for the day."

Jones unintentionally slipped away from his uncle's sight, causing an unexpected uproar.

"I am a little spacey and kinda get sidetracked. But I guess I was just looking down at sea shells and kinda picking 'em up and putting 'em down – not really collecting 'em, but I was just kinda fascinated, and I guess I just kinda wandered away," he clarified.

After hours of looking up and down the beach, his uncle called in the troops out of pure panic.

"He had the Coast Guard looking for me," said Jones. "He thought that maybe something had happened to me and was really worried that he was in charge of I don't know how many thousands of troops, but yet he lost his nephew on the beach."

Jones explained that he was shocked to find out about the commotion he caused.

"I was found a couple of hours later, and I had no idea I was ever lost. But I think the Coast Guard found me, and I was just still wandering down the beach looking at sea shells," he added with a laugh.

While many individuals escape to the beach to get sun-kissed, lead vocalist Mike Eli said that he brought his daughter to the ocean for the first time during the winter. Eli declared that it was a picturesque sight he will never forget.

"My daughter, one of her first experiences at the beach was in Charleston. It was in the middle of winter, and there was this big fog that came over Charleston, at the time," Eli recalled. "We put our coats on and went down to the beach. I think that was one of the first times I even realized how beautiful the water could be at any time of the year. That fog coming down over the water, I took a bunch of pictures with my iPhone that I ended up blowing up. There on our walls at home, just because it was a really cool experience for my family at the time. This was before "Saltwater Gospel," It was a good memory and good time," he added.

EYB first released "Saltwater Gospel" in 2016 on their 11-song album, "Fingerprints." However, it was 2020 when the multi-platinum selling band dropped a new version featuring Jimmy Buffett. The mid-tempo track shines a light on God's creations and the true beauty of nature.

"Hey I go down and sink my feet in the water |And I soak up that sun and I watch it set |Yeah, I can feel the power of the saltwater gospel | I'm as close to God as I can get," the band delivers. "Now there ain't nothing wrong with putting on your Sunday best |Me, I won't be wearing nothin' that I can't get wet |I just think about how small I am and life after we're gone | I'm out here by myself, but I know I'm not alone."

“Saltwater Gospel” is one of many tracks EYB sings on their nationwide tour. The set list that makes up their must-see show, features smash hits and news material from their sixth studio album, “Love Talking.” Tickets are available for purchase, here.