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Who Is Tim Dugger? The Story Behind His Journey to Country Music

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Who is Tim Dugger? The singer-songwriter joined us to chat about his journey to country music. Get to know the rising star here…

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Tim Dugger

The Beginning:

This week we’re highlighting Tim Dugger, an incredible recording artist from Roanoke, Alabama. We chatted with the singer-songwriter about his love of music, his path, and his most recent album. Keep reading to learn more.

“I grew up in a little town called Roanoke, Alabama. It’s a pretty small town. It was a dry county up til 2016, so very backwoods and not a lot going on down there, but I fell in love with music at a young age,” began the singer. “My dad was a truck driver and he would come home with all these cassette tapes from traveling around, he just had so many. […] I would say 95% of them were country and more classic country, a lot of Merle Haggard, a lot of trucking songs like Red Soul Vine. […] And of course 90s country music was on the radio when I was a kid I grew up on Alan Jackson and 90s country.”

While 90s country music was arguably his first love, Dugger honed his singing skills through church choir.“I started out singing in church and we would travel around the southeast singing at all kind of churches, doing gospel music.”

Eventually, at the age of fifteen, the singer and his parents helped him put together his first band. “It was one of those kind of started out playing at a bar with five people, and four of those people you were related to, and that’s kind of how it started,” shared the singer. Adding, “I was the youngest in the band by probably fifteen years or more. I’m from the school of thought that you have to be playing and being on stage and singing, and be out there, and get your honky tonk university [degree]. I did that for years and years.”

The Turning Point:

With a love for 90s country imbedded in his veins, Dugger truly only saw one path forward. He continued to sing all around with his band, while also making frequent trips to Nashville to record Nashville-quality demos.

“I didn’t live in Nashville at the time, I’m from about 5 hours from Nashville, and I’d commute back and forth to write and record, so at the time the demos I had were really good, they were Nashville quality. I was glad I wasn’t behind the eight ball on that, but you never know, country music goes through these waves here over the last ten years, but my shows can be kind of rock sometimes or lean a bit more traditional, but I”m not one of those that goes “that ain’t country or this ain’t country.” It’s a fun time to have music out.”

Eventually, as fate would have it, Dugger met a guy at one of his shows who was friends with a Nascar team owner, and he was asked to play a few shows. He got me booked at a couple of races, and that gave me an opportunity. I actually met Mike Curb on pit road at the Daytona 500 and gave him a CD, and that’s how I ended up with Curb Records, just by that meeting.” Shortly there after, Dugger signed with Curb Records.

Today:

Flash forward to today, Dugger is making a living as a signed singer-songwriter. The singer brings a rock flair to his country lyric by creating a sound that feels distinctly ‘him.’ Most recently, the artist released his album, Stars Over Alabama, which features thirteen songs, including eight that the singer had his hand in writing.

“When we were writing those songs, I didn’t know we were writing the album, I just knew I was cutting songs. I didn’t know if it was going to be an EP or a full album, and then about halfway through it, they were like you should cut another batch, and the best song ever wins, and Nashville is full of the best songs that we may never hear. […] So the best song always wins, but I love when I am able to write something.”

Dugger went on to add, “I like when I have a story to tell behind the guitar. […] “Most of it is stories I’ve lived or at least try to put that somewhere within the stories and songs that we’re writing.”

All of the songs on the record feel like getting to know the singer and his story, as well as, the music he loves and appreciates. While Dugger has been at this seemingly his whole life, it is clear that he is primed for a big 2025.

“My winter, like a lot of singers, slows down from touring, which is nice, but it’ll be all about writing. […] Definitely going to dive in, I have a lot to say. This year’s been a pretty wild ride. […] We’re going to be back on the road and keep putting out more music for everybody who likes this album.” Stay tuned!

Connect:

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about upcoming Tim Dugger announcements and releases.

To keep up with Tim Dugger, follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Tim Dugger’s music is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

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Who Is Kayley Green? The Story Behind Her Journey to Country Music

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Who is Kayley Green? The singer-songwriter joined us to chat about her journey to country music. Get to know the rising star here…

who-is-kayley-green

Kayley Green // Photo credit: Matthew Berinato

Quick Facts:
Full Name – Kayley Green
Birthdate – October 4th
Hometown – Florence, South Carolina
Current City – Nashville, Tennessee
Musical Influences – Martina McBride, Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert, Chris Stapleton
Label – Sony Music Nashville
Latest Music – “Catching Up” (as of date of article 12/1/24)
The Beginning:

This week we caught up with incredible singer-songwriter, Kayley Green. The Sony Music Nashville recording artist has a chased her dreams for a decade, knowing from an early age, that music was her calling. We chatted with the songstress all about her journey, her music, and everything in between.

“I have a big family, none of which are really musical. My mom’s dad was musical and my dad played a little guitar, but no one in my family really pursued music or did it as hobbies or anything, but I always pursed music. I did musical theatre as a kid and sang in church choir, and was playing live gigs in front of audiences as soon as I possibly could. It started in middle school,” shared the South Carolina native.

Green recalls always being drawn to music. “I loved Martina McBride. She was my favorite. My grandad asked me to sing one of her songs, and I remember saying “I can’t sing that.” But I wanted to make him happy and make him proud, so I would blare my stereo and scream sing her songs until I could hit the notes,” she shared. Adding, “I loved all genres of music, but my grandma watched me and all of my cousins, she watched all of us everyday, and she spent most of her time standing in front of CMT watching all of the music videos, so I just grew up with country music constantly playing.”

During her youth, Green chased her music dream, garnering the support of the people in her town. “My youth pastor set-up my first gig at a coffee shop, and it just continued from there. I played bar gigs all through high school. I moved to Nashville and continued playing shows as much as I could,” shared the singer. “There really wasn’t ever a time in my life where I didn’t want to be a singer. There really wasn’t any other option at any point in my life.”

The Turning Point:

Armed with a dream and ambition to match, Green headed to Nashville in 2013 to attend Belmont University “I found out about Belmont [University] in middle school, and I found out I could get a singing degree, and that was it. I went to Belmont and I got my music degree, and from that moment on, I just knew I was moving to Nashville, and I was going to do it.”

Green worked on her craft, all while performing five nights a week at the bars on Broadway. Eventually, she experienced the pandemic, which led her to leave her dreams behind momentarily. “I lived in Nashville for probably seven years, when the pandemic happened. I was playing downtown the whole time, but I had no idea how to even get into the industry. I wasn’t being told “no,”. I didn’t even know how to find a “no,”” she shared. Adding, “I moved home for a year and a half during the pandemic, and I thought that music was over, but I couldn’t quite give it up.”

The songstress began to find a new way to make her a dream a reality. “I started working on TikTok and influencing, doing that kind of thing. I really wanted to build up my influencer platform, so I could have money to put into my own original music and really give music one more shot. As soon as I launched my website and my merch line, I got a call from Keith Urban and his team, asking me to come play at the Bridgestone. It was two days before the show, I had no idea it was coming. […] He asked me to sing “We Were Us” with him and one song that I loved to sing too. […] I sang “Independence Day” and it changed my life over night.”

Today:

Flash forward to today, Green found a home at Sony Music Nashville, first a writer with a publishing deal and later with a record deal.

“I had no prospects in the industry, no contacts, no friends, I was so far from it, and immediately was kind of thrown into it, 100 miles an hour. Ross Copperman was behind me at the show, and he asked “who are you, what are you doing,” and he was kind of helping guide me in the right direction, and asked if I wanted to sign a publishing deal with SONY. […] I signed a joint venture publishing deal with Ross and SONY, and then not long after, I was offered a record deal with SONY too, but it was all because of the night at Bridgestone with Keith Urban.”

In the last few months, the songstress has released two songs that really speak to her unique talent as an artist. Both “Shadow of a Cowboy” and “Catching Up” were inspired by a break-up that the artist was going through.

“‘Shadow Of A Cowboy” was written by me, Ross Copperman, Jon Nite, and Ben Williams. It was Ben’s idea, but I was going through a break-up at the time, and he had the idea “Shadow Of A Cowboy,” and then just that with break-up energy in the room, we created this awesome song. […] As soon as I listened, I knew it was special and big. […] It was one that I had no doubt that I wanted to release,” she shared.

When it came to “Catching Up,” Green recalls wanting to hide the heartbreak she was going through. Her poker face was not very good, and one of her co-writers asked her what was wrong, eventually leading to this song.

“I told them everything that was going on, and we wrote “Catching Up.” It was totally organic, no one really came in with the idea, it was just about everything I was going through, and it was so healing to write it with them. I think it’s a story that a lot of people can relate to, especially girls. I think the story is great, and I’m really proud of that one too.”

Fans can expect more new music coming from the singer at the top of 2025. This is only the beginning for Green, so make sure you follow along!

Connect:

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about upcoming Kayley Green announcements and releases.

To keep up with Kayley Green, follow her on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, or Twitter. 

Kayley Green’s music is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

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Who Is Shaylen? The Story Behind Her Journey to Country Music

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Who is Shaylen? The singer-songwriter joined us to chat about her journey to country music. Get to know the rising star here…

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Shaylen // Photo credit: BMLG

Quick Facts:
Full Name – Shaylen Caroll
Birthdate – 01/31/1993
Hometown – Chattanooga, Tennessee + Allen, Texas
Current City – Nashville, Tennessee
Musical Influences – Shania Twain, Adele, Brooks & Dunn, Martina McBride & Nickelback
Label – Nashville Harbor Records & Entertainment
Latest Music – “To Tell You The Truth” (as of date of article 11/18/24)
The Beginning:

Today we’re shining our spotlight on an incredibly talented singer-songwriter, Shaylen. Despite finding a home in country music, Shaylen has had an interesting career path, spanning from her love for musical theatre, her former Pop group, and even writing hit songs for Korean pop artists. We chatted with the singer about her path, finding her home in country music, and everything in between.

“I was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee. I was raised here until about seven. Then moved to Allen, Texas. I basically realized the second I figured out how to talk, that I was going to sing,” began the songstress. “I don’t have anyone who is in the music industry in my family, but I was influenced by their taste in music. My mom and dad played everything under the sun. I really found a love for it, I was super, super, dead set on singing a song at the offering in Church, and I was six when I did it, and I got to get up on stage, and in that moment, I was like “oh I want to do whatever this is. I want to feel whatever this is.” It wasn’t really like “look at me,” it was the connection with everyone, and for the first time ever, I thought this was my purpose.”

The singer convinced her supportive family to get her a guitar and a piano. “I dove into piano lessons. I’m classically trained there, and then at night time, I would go to a music school, and I would do children’s theatre, and all the plays I can do at the time.”

Shaylen recalls from an early age having access to many different musical genres. She fell in love with all sorts of artists like Shania Twain, The Beatles, Carrie Underwood, Britney Spears, and even Elton John. “There was a period of my life, where it was gospel music and then I learned what Broadway was. I was heavily into musical theatre. Then, I got introduced to Brooks & Dunn, and Toby Keith was a big guy in our household, Martina McBride, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, etc. I realized, as little as I was, the storytelling in country music, it was always about the song first,” she shared. Adding, “We played everything you could think of under the sun.”

The Turning Point:

Young Shaylen, continued to hone her talent as a musician. Eventually, she landed herself a spot in a Pop group called ‘Savvy.’ “Then randomly the creator behind the show, Proud Family, came across one of my group members, and met us, and was like I’m going to write a sitcom around you guys. […] She wrote the script and we filmed the pilot. […] A year later, it was picked up, and all of a sudden instead of going to high school, I’m moving to Michigan to film a 22 episode sitcom,” she shared.

“So I did that, I was home-schooled, and then out of nowhere, when I was turning seventeen, Cash Money Records wants to sign us. We signed the record deal. […] We were really having a moment, and then things derailed within six months.”

Unfortunately, Shaylen experienced what many artists have experienced, being shelved and unable to release music because of her record deal. Despite the unfortunate experience, the singer decided to move to Los Angeles to find a new way to make her dreams a reality. “I get there, I’m working five jobs, and my group and I after a few months, knew it was over. […] I was stuck in that deal for two or three years, no one would write with me, but I figured out I needed to know how to write a song by myself.”

Learning how to write songs became Shaylen’s silver lining. “That led me to my first publishing deal as a solo artist, and wrote my way into certain rooms, and wrote another song by myself that landed in the room of Universal Republic, around 2018, I signed my first record deal as a solo artist with Universal Republic, and then COVID happened.”

By happenstance, Shaylen got the opportunity to go write in Nashville. During her first ever co-write in the city, her and her co-writers wrote the song “What If I Don’t,” which would go on to be life changing for the songstress.

Eventually, Shaylen felt the pull she felt years prior to head to Nashville. “I just heard this voice tell me that I had to go and derail my life and do the scariest thing I’ve ever done, but pack up your bags and go to Nashville,” she shared. Her record label let her walk, and she headed to Music City with just $75 to her name.

Today:

Flash forward to today, Shaylen following her inner knowing became the best thing she’s ever done for herself. The singer-songwriter found a home in country music, signing a deal with Nashville Harbor Records & Entertainment.

“I’m curating a body of work right now that I’ve been curating over the last year in almost phases. I didn’t realize that in what was so hard and so sad, really I started to learn how to love myself again. […] If there’s anything that I can take away from my own thing is that these songs are chapters of that in my own life,” shared the singer.

Most recently, Shaylen released a new song called, “To Tell You The Truth.” “”To Tell You The Truth” was written down a year and a half ago, about wanting to call you and tell you I miss you, but why, you’re with someone new, and I remember being so excited to walk into the write. […] I happen to be suffering from a kidney infection on the same day, but I had to go. […] We’re writing, we’re trying to go around this idea. […] in the duration of that, when we finally listened  at the end, I loved it so much.”

“To Tell You The Truth” is the first song to come out in conjunction with her record deal. The Track showcases exactly who Shaylen is an artist. Fans can look forward to more music coming soon, as 2025 is slated to be a huge year for the humble rising artist. “We’re in the chapter of being vulnerable.”

Connect:

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about upcoming Shaylen announcements and releases.

To keep up with Lanie Gardner, follow her on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and Facebook.

Shaylen’s music is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

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Who Is Clever? The Story Behind His Journey to Country Music

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Who is Clever? The singer-songwriter joined us to chat about his journey to country music. Get to know the rising star here…

who-is-clever

Clever

Quick Facts:
Name – Clever
Birthdate – July 8th
Hometown – Gadsen, Alabama
Current City – Gadsen, Alabama
Musical Influences – Lynyrd Skynyrd, Randy Travis, Juice WRLD
Label – Ricochet Recordings
Latest Release- “Trainwreck” (as of date of article 11/11/24)

The Beginning:

This week we are highlighting a unique talent in the music industry, an artist who goes by the name Clever. Clever has been penning music since he learned to write, and has deep dived into all different genres throughout his blossoming career. Lately, Clever has been honing his songwriting as a country singer-songwriter. Keep reading to learn more about the artist’s interesting path, including why he has the support from artists like Justin Bieber and Post Malone.

“I’m from the great state of Alabama. Still living here to this day. I’m from small town U.S.A. […] I’m still here, because I’m basically the mayor here. I’ve built up a big following here for a long time, kind of that hometown hero thing, and I just never left,” began the singer. “I started doing poetry at an early age, and it kind of transitioned into writing songs. Clever recalls always using poetry, and later music, as an outlet for what he was feeling and going through. “I needed an escape. I think for creatives, all of us, we need an outlet, I was always looking for that escape from reality, and poetry though it was doing the job, I was still yearning for something more, and music made so much sense.”

Despite growing up in a more conservative family, Clever’s music education spanned many genres. “Early on, I listened to what my parents listened to. My dad was a big Lynyrd Skynyrd and Led Zeppelin fan, The Allman Brothers, that sort of thing, and my mom listened to ‘Cool and The Gang’, and ‘Earth, Wind, and Fire’, which makes sense for the hip-hop with this big vocal on top of it. I was also raised on Vince Gill and Travis Tritt, and Garth Brooks.”

Clever also shared a liking for hip-hop music, something he discovered on his own. “When I started diving into my own music, I went a little edgier, like Korn, and Limp Bizkit type stuff, but I was a huge Jay-Z fan and Lil Wayne fan. It kind of explains the poetic side of me and the lyrical side of me with a cool vibe.”

The Turning Point:

At just around thirteen years old, Clever discovered that he could rap and freestyle. I did some freestyle, battle type of stuff early on in my career, maybe around thirteen, fourteen, and I got a gig on the radio station in Birmingham Alabama. I started taking phone calls live on the air and freestyle battle callers,” he shared. Adding, “I got this CD insert and I was reading the lyrics and I started reading the lyrics, and I thought “this is trash.” […] I was saying that I can outdo this, I wanted to make my own music, and I was kind of a wild kid for someone who was raised better.”

The radio gig led Clever to have his own radio show in his early 20s, which eventually led him to do things for radio and BET in New York. “I dabbled with radio here and there, and I started making hip-hop music in the beginning of what I would consider hip-hop. Nobody really called it hip-hop when I was doing hip-hop, and I expect the same out of most of my country listeners. I kinda do what I do, I don’t think you can really put it in a box, but the production of it is definitely more of a country thing that we do now.”

The artist was making waves in the music industry, and despite, getting into a bad record deal, he was still writing music for many publishing companies, trying to find a way to keep releasing his own music simultaneously. “I ended up writing some songs with Snoop Dog and a bunch of California OGs back in the day and eventually linked up with David Foster, and started to write some songs with him,” he shared.

“Around 2018, I got noticed by Juice WRLD, and I ended up signing with Juice, and I was touring with him, and featured on his album in 2019, and eventually did a deal between me and Post Malone and Juice together, and signed with Post Malone at the end of 2019, and then the next day Juice passed. […] It was a weird transition there for a while. It really put us at a standstill for a while.”

At the same time, a lot of artists were looking to collaborate. “I was blessed to work with artists like Justin Bieber, Post Malone, Juice, Chris Brown, Lil Wayne, the list just keeps going, but fast forward, I started making some country records, I’m from Alabama, it’s in my blood. I was kind of raised on country music,” he shared. Adding, “I started writing for some country artists. I had never written a song for myself and with the country transition, as soon as Jelly Roll started making his way, I started getting phone calls with people saying that I should try to do this sort of things.”

Today:

Flash forward to today, Clever is embracing country music. Recently, the singer-songwriter released a self-titled EP filled with six songs that speak to the singer-songwriter’s unique talent as an artist. 

“My goal was to release this huge 30 song album. […]  I wanted to put together this huge body of work and release it, and I did a distribution deal, and before you drop an album, you need to make some singles shake, otherwise no one really cares to hear a full album and you really need some solo songs to do well, so we kind of shortened it to putting together this deal that entails six mini EPs of five or six songs, and of course, it’s subject to change. We’re just playing it by ear right now.”

Still armed with a dream to release a massive project, Clever is chugging along, garnering more and more fans with every single release. “‘Candlelight’ was one that caught the attention and really grew my fanbase here on TikTok. I love the style and production, that sort of thing. “Billy The Kid” stands out to me because it’s the first song I wrote in this country direction. “Trainwreck” was the only song I did that wasn’t a solo write”

Fans can expect a whole lot more from Clever as we head into the top of 2025. The singer is already sitting on a ton of new music and is primed for a huge new year. Stay tuned for the singer, as he plans new tour dates and maybe even jumps on tour with some of your favorites soon!

Connect:

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about upcoming Clever announcements and releases.

To keep up with Clever, follow him on Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram.

Clever’s music is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

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Who Is Don Louis? The Story Behind His Journey to Country Music

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Who is Don Louis? The singer-songwriter joined us to chat about his journey to country music. Get to know the rising star here…

who-is-don-louis

Don Louis // Photo credit: Austin Leih

Quick Facts:
Full Name – Don Louis
Birthdate – 06/27/1996
Hometown – Cumby, Texas
Current City – Commerce, Texas
Musical Influences – J Cole, George Strait, The Weeknd, Toby Keith
Label – EMPIRE Nashville
Latest Release- Liquor Talkin’ album

The Beginning:

This week our spotlight shines on singer-songwriter, Don Louis. Louis is a unique talent that blends genre-boundaries and creates music from the heart. He is one of those artists that is truly made for the spotlight and for the stage.

“I grew up on a little farm out in Texas with my brothers and my mom and my pops. We had a little ranch out there. […] For a while, I thought it was going to be football for the longest time, but I remember having a conversation with someone a long time ago, bragging about music that was trending and hot at the time. I thought I should give it a try,” began Louis, who started his musical journey on a whim, after thinking football would be his path.

Despite not knowing music was his calling right away, the singer grew up with a ton of music at his fingertips. “When I was younger, CDs were still hot, so you could flip from 3 Doors Down to Kid Rock to Eminem to Slipknot. It was a very weird time for music, but my mom would clean on Sundays, and she would turn on Garth Brooks and George Strait, and we’d all go around singing.” Adding, “We had a real diverse introduction to music and it’s definitely molded my taste about it, and I try to emulate some of those sounds with the way that I flow with some of my own music.”

When the opportunity to make music for a living and play at local venues in Texas presented itself, Louis couldn’t turn it down.

The Turning Point:

“That opportunity presented itself probably because I was joking around, but it’s cool to see how it all worked out. Picking up the guitar, teaching myself, helping my friends on jobs… God is good, helping me out,” shared the singer. “Where I’m from, it’s predominantly country music that’s played out here. One day, I got told from a venue, ‘hey man, if you don’t have a full band, you won’t play in my establishment.’ It kind of put that chip on my shoulder to go home, sit down, and put them hours into the guitar to be able to also show that I’m a musician, and that I’m going the full nine.”

Louis took every opportunity that was available to him, taught himself how to play guitar, and began writing and recording music. “I have a weird mix of a little bluesy, hip-hop, sometimes rock sound. I can definitely say that I have found my own sound, and I can honestly say that I’ve been enjoying making these songs and pushing them out here.”

Louis blended his unique influences in his own style of country music, a more suave and smooth kind of country. “I love that country musicians have figured out how to say a lot less words with a whole lot more imagery.”

Today:

Flash forward to today, Louis has an entire record of music out called, Liquor Talkin’, with even more music on its way.

“I went one song at a time. I would drive out to see a friend in Tyler [Texas] and some of those songs were also written in Nashville. I would try to take an idea or a concept of a song down to Nashville, and I would have those preloaded in the back just to go in there and end up recording them and producing them, and getting them out. We’ve been sitting on this album for a minute, hoping it was received as well as we believe it’s good. I just got to keep on pushing it day by day,” shared the singer.

When it comes to the record, Louis is really proud of it, because of the intricacies and uniqueness of the twelve song project. “To go from having no music out at all to where we are now, it’s incredible how fast we’ve been able to make this happen,” he shared. Adding, “I think it’s got some really good, unique tones and sounds. Nothing sounds the same. All of them got a different meeting. […] We captured a whole lot of different emotions on all those albums.”

Songs like “Mine In Mine” and his collaborative song with Sophia Scott, “She’s Trouble” showcase his talent in the perfect light. Additionally, the entire record truly has no skips, something that is hard to do in a debut project.

Looking ahead to the rest of this year and early next year, Louis already has music in the works. “I’m already working on a second album,” he shared. “I think we might release more singles, thinking about a deluxe album. I’m already sitting on six songs.” Stay tuned!

Connect:

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about upcoming Don Louis announcements and releases.

To keep up with Don Louis, follow him on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter.

Don Louis’ music is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

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Who Is Lanie Gardner? The Story Behind Her Journey to Country Music 2024

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Who is Lanie Gardner? The singer-songwriter joined us to chat about her journey to country music. Get to know the rising star here…

who-is-lanie-gardner

Lanie Gardner // Photo Credit: Don Henson

Quick Facts:
Full Name – Lanie Gardner
Birthdate – 07/18/1999
Hometown – Burnsville, North Carolina
Current City – Nashville, Tennessee
Musical Influences – Miranda Lambert, Gretchen Wilson, Chris Stapleton
Label – BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville
Latest Music – A Songwriter’s Diary debut album (as of date of article 10/28/2024)
The Beginning:

Every once in a while, a special artist emerges on the country music scene. Lanie Gardner is one of those artists. Despite focusing on music for what seems like forever, it is only in the last year or so that fans have and the industry have finally really taken notice. We chatted with Gardner about her music, her newly released debut album, and her journey to get to where she is now.

“I’m from a little mountain town in the middle of nowhere, so there was a lot of bluegrass and country elements up there. I also had top forty radio. […] I think probably all the things combined probably influenced my music today,” began the North Carolina native. “The generational aspects of the Appalachian Mountains influenced me a lot, even today.” Gardner also credits artists like Chris Brown and Rihanna for her love of more dance-vibe music, as well as, country artists like Miranda Lambert, Dierks Bentley, and Eric Church for their songwriting.

Gardner recalls always being mesmerized by music. She credits her grandfather and his musical talent and dream for encouraging her own. “To make a career out of it, my grandpa used to play and sing, and he was a beekeeper as well. […] He’s a big part of why I do what I do today. He said if he had enough money to make it out of that little mountain town, he believes he would have made it. I kind of carried his dream over and just picked it up with mine,” she shared.

The Turning Point:

Upon graduating high school, Gardner immediately moved out to Murfreesboro, Tennessee. “I went to college at MTSU, and that’s how I got into an R&B phase and got to experience that, while also still writing in the country elements of music.” While attending school, Gardner continued to hone her talents as a multi-dimensional musician.

During the pandemic, Gardner’s cover of the Fleetwood Mac song, “Dreams” went viral. “That’s what started my whole career and kind of launched me into the industry,” shared the singer. “During that time, labels were kind of snagging up artists off of TikTok. The issue was the label that I was with originally didn’t quite know what to do with me, so I kind of disappeared for about two years after being shelved.”

Now, Gardner is signed to a record label that she feels fully believes in her. “Things now are starting to roll again, now that I’ve cleaned house and have a new record deal and have a new team that really believes in my vision and what I’m doing.”

Today:

Flash forward to today, Gardner just released her debut project, A Songwriter’s Diary. “I never really got to introduce myself during that time. I was kind of stuck in between what other people wanted me to be and what I wanted to be and never had that opportunity. This first album talks about where I’m from, who I am, how I think, how I speak, all of those things encompassed in this first project. I believe it will probably be a rock for the rest of my career in the future, just something to remind me of why I started this whole thing in the first place.”

The record features ten songs that the singer-songwriter has written over her lifetime. “The album as a whole, to be honest, it was a project that kind of came together without me even realizing it was coming together. I had started an Instagram series called ‘A Songwriter’s Diary.’ […] In the series, I would take the book that I had when I was in high school, one that I would write my songs down in, and I would take it and sing a song from it. Whatever page I turned to, and just sing that song. We kind of married that into my first project. This project is an accumulation of my own thoughts and words and experiences to tell the story from the very beginning. I hope I can take everybody back home with me and give them a visual.”

While many of the songs are standouts, Gardner’s song, “Somewhere, Nowhere in Carolina” is one of the best. “”Somewhere, Nowhere in Carolina” was a song written in those two years of just losing my way. Wanting to be somewhere in Carolina and nowhere in my career, was kind of my standpoint during that time because I just lost the meaning of music and the meaning of storytelling, because I wasn’t able to or allowed to do it,” shared the singer, reflecting on her journey.

Fans can expect more music coming from Gardner, as she is already writing new music and working on her next project. Additionally, a song is going to radio sooner rather than later. Gardner promises more fun stuff and more good vibes coming soon!

Connect:

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about upcoming Lanie Gardner announcements and releases.

To keep up with Lanie Gardner, follow her on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and Facebook.

Lanie Gardner’s music is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

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Who Is Kyle Daniel? The Story Behind His Journey to Country Music

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Who is Kyle Daniel? The singer-songwriter joined us to chat about his journey to country music. Get to know the rising star here…

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Kyle Daniel // Photo credit; Jason Stolzfus

Quick Facts:
Full Name – Kyle Daniel
Birthdate – September 11th
Hometown – Bowling Green, KY
Current City – Bowling Green, KY
Musical Influences – Allman Brothers Band, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Jonny Lang, Chris Stapleton, The Band
Label – Snakefarm Records
Current Song – “Fire Me Up” ft. Maggie Rose

The Beginning:

This week we chatted with singer-songwriter, Kyle Daniel all about his path to finding music. Daniel shared about his upbringing, his musical influences, his current music, and even his incredible collaboration with Maggie Rose. Keep reading to learn more.

“I’m originally from Bowling Green, Kentucky. I’m about an hour north of Nashville. A lot of good music came out of this area. I went to high school with the dudes from Cage The Elephant. […] I grew up from a very music-based community. I started playing when I was about sixteen years old. It just was kinda something that took off immediately for me,” shared the singer.

For Daniel, music was a way of life from an early age. “I grew up on the Allman Brothers, that was may very first diehard love. I was fortunate enough to see them 15 times or better before Greg passed. […] I grew up on a lot of Southern Rock.” The rock influences are evident even through this current music.

The Turning Point:

While Daniel always had a burning passion for music, he also loved baseball and simultaneously, a dream to play the sport professionally. “I was once a baseball player and I thought I may try to pursue a career as a Major League Baseball player, but after an injury my freshman year, I learned how to play a little bit on guitar, and within a few months, I started a band, and never looked back. Nobody at the time wanted to sing, and I was kinda forced to do it,” shared the singer.

This band led him towards a music trajectory. “I ended up in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and I got a music business degree down there. Had a college band and then I moved to the big city of Nashville after I graduated and played guitar for a couple of different artists.” The singer also did tour management, but ultimately felt that being an artist was his true calling.

Slowly but surely, Daniel grew his fanbase and honed in on his talents as both a guitar player and as an artist. “I think finally after all this time, I’ve been able to secure a record deal, international booking agents, I’ve got a management company, and things are really starting to fit together here in 2024,” shared the singer, adding, “A lot of people compare my music and this new record to Bruce Springsteen, which is a tall order first of all and I was never really a sit down and listen to the boss kinda guy. I just appreciated the ferocity in his performance. […] I appreciate the guys who really had a fire behind what they were doing. I found myself gravitating towards it, especially as a young guitar player.”

Today:

Flash forward to today, Daniel released his Kentucky Gold album back in July. “I tried to give a full 30,000 foot view on who Kyle Daniel is as an artist,” shared the artist. “It was important to show my versatility and that I”m not just a one trick pony and there’s still some congruency in the record. I think it shows my versatility as a musician and the influences I’ve had along the way.”

Interestingly enough, the album was created in what felt like a three-part process over the span of a few years “The album as a whole was a three part process. The majority of the record was cut in in the fall of 2020. I took an all star group of musicians and we hold up in this house, and there we just eat, sleep, and breathe the record for an entire week. So when you hear a lot of the record, most of that was cut down there, and then one thing led to another, we were in the midst in COVID and I was still teetering about talking to to this record label about a deal, and then finally the deal came to fruition,” shared the singer, “I ended up in 2022 cutting, I went in the studio with Jared Johnson from the Cadillac Three, and we cut three tracks. […] That was kind of to fuel the rock side of the record, and then right before the record came out, end of last year, we kind of threw a Hail Mary, and the label said, “what about one more rock song.” […] We came out with “Can’t Hold Me Back.””

For Daniel, music is a true way of life. Kentucky Gold, as well as, his undeniable performance charm is proof enough that he is the real deal.

Connect:

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about upcoming Kyle Daniel announcements and releases.

To keep up with Kyle Daniel, follow him on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter.

Kyle Daniel’s music is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

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Who Is Meghan Patrick? The Story Behind Her Journey to Country Music 2024

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Who is Meghan Patrick? The singer-songwriter joined us to chat about her journey to country music. Get to know the rising star here…

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Meghan Patrick // Photo credit: Ford Fairchild

Quick Facts:
Full Name – Meghan Patrick
Birthdate – March 25th
Hometown – Bowmanville, PN
Current City – Nashville, Tennessee
Musical Influences – The Eagles, Sheryl Crow, Aretha Franklin
Current Single – “Golden Child” (as of date of article 10/14/24)
The Beginning:

This week we shine our spotlight on an artist who has been on our radar for a while, Meghan Patrick. Patrick is a creative powerhouse and a force to be reckoned with in the industry. We chatted with the singer-songwriter about her unique journey and of course, her brand new album, Golden Child.

“I was born and raised in Bowmanville, Ontario. I definitely grew up in a very musical house,” began the songstress. “My dad played some guitar and we always had music playing in the house […] When I was about twelve years old, I auditioned for the school musical and that was kind of when I figured out I could sing.” The singer recalls her teacher recommended a vocal teacher for her, which catapulted into taking lessons.“I’m actually classically trained. […] I did that all through high school,” shared the singer. Adding, “I honestly grew up on a pretty eclectic taste in music. I loved all genres and I just really loved music and came from a family that loved all kinds of music.”

At the same time that Patrick was honing her talent as a singer, her focus was on competitive snowboarding. “In my senior year of high school, my goal was to get on the national development team and eventually go to the olympics. My parents really wanted me to go to university after high school, but I wanted to keep snowboarding, so they made me a deal. They said “if you make the national development team, we’re cool with you deferring school.”

Unfortunately, the singer ended up getting severely injured causing to walk away from snowboarding. Music became her fallback plan, and she went on to study opera at a college in Canada. “One year of that made it very clear to me that, that was not the path for me. I loved the singing aspect of it, but I wasn’t really passionate about the genre of opera,” shared the singer, who decided to try snowboarding again. Unfortunately, another concussion halted those dreams yet again.

The Turning Point:

Despite her snowboarding career coming to end, music remained a constant in Patrick’s life. She ended up switching into the Jazz program at her college, which landed her in a 10 piece soul band. “Outside of my first ever band when I was thirteen, that was the first time I ever got to experience touring and playing some big shows. That’s when I started realizing that this is what I wanted to do.”

Then, Patrick transferred to a school in Ontario, where her dreams began to take shape. “I ended up meeting some musicians from my hometown, and we started a bluegrass band. We made a couple of records and did a bunch of touring and that was the final tour for me. I knew this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.” The singer decided to quit school and focus on music full-time.

While performing with her bluegrass band, Patrick gained an even bigger appreciation for country music, falling in love with new artists at the time like Eric Church. “When I went my separate ways with the band and started writing songs by myself, they were country songs. That’s what kind of seemed to naturally come out of me,” she shared.

Her hard work, busking, working odd jobs, and continuously grinding in music led her to her first Canadian record deal. “After I signed with Warner, I had wanted to move to Nashville then but I decided to spend a couple of years in Canada and build up my career there. I didn’t have an offer on the table from a U.S. record label at the time, I just wanted to be able to tour and get music out, so that’s what I did.”

Patrick earned many accolades in Canada, but ultimately felt the pull to move to Nashville, so the fall of 2019 she followed that urge. Unfortunately, the pandemic halted her progress and she was eventually dropped from her record label in Canada, due to restructuring. Instead of letting that stop her, the songstress took it as an opportunity to drop deeper into herself as an artist and as a person, intuitionally creating music that felt distinctly her.

Today:

Flash forward to today, that intentionality Patrick had in 2020 led to her American record deal, as well as, her latest project, Golden Child. “‘Golden Child’ was the catalyst for everything that happened after that where I made myself a promise that I would write songs that I wanted to write and I would be unapologetically myself. […] That’s when I started writing a lot of songs that ended up on this record,” she shared. Adding, “It’s autobiographically. Some parts are really heavy. I think the underlying theme of it is more so focused around the journey of healing and empowerment and self-love.”

For Patrick, this record is the biggest and most honest project of her career. “It feels like I’ve been trying to write this record my whole life, and I kind of have been, because it’s all of my heart and all of my happiness, my relationship with my husband, and the journey of that, and all the stuff that came before it. At the end of the day, I always write these songs with hopes that people will find some of their selves in them or relate to them or it will be empowering or healing for them.”

While all the songs off the album are incredible, the title track stands out, as an important turning point for the songstress. “Joey Hyde and Aaron Eshius, who were the co-writers and producers on the track, when I told them I wanted to name the record that, they said we need to write that. It was rooted in me deciding I wanted to tell my real story and show people who I truly was for what felt like the first time in my life. […] Getting to a place where I finally felt I could be myself and totally honest was important.”

Meghan Patrick is the real deal. Stay tuned for what she does next!

Connect:

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about upcoming Meghan Patrick announcements and releases.

To keep up with Meghan Patrick, follow her on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Twitter.

Meghan Patrick’s music is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

Who Is Noah Hicks? The Story Behind His Journey to Country Music 2024

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Who is Noah Hicks? The singer-songwriter joined us to chat about his journey to country music. Get to know the rising star here…

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Noah Hicks // Photo credit: David Forehand

Quick Facts:
Full Name – Noah Lee Hicks
Birthdate – 12/15/1998
Hometown – Carollton, Georgia
Current City – Nashville, Tennessee
Musical Influences – Florida Georgia Line, Thomas Rhett, Luke Combs, Luke Bryan
Label – Nashville Harbor Records & Entertainment
Current Song – “Second Time Around” ft. Shaylen

The Beginning:

A few years ago, we introduced you to a brand new rising artist, Noah Hicks, as he was beginning his journey into country music. Today, we caught up with the singer-songwriter yet again to pick up where we left off. The singer is wiser, even more talented, and ready to continue to take the country music world by storm.

Growing up on a chicken farm in Georgia, Hicks recalls always being surrounded by music. “So I grew up a farm boy in a small town. My dad’s side of the family is very musical, so that’s kind of where music really flowed from. My uncles and my cousins all played instruments. Some guitar, some played drums, some sang, some played piano. That’s where the music gene kind of spurred from,” shared the singer.

Hicks grew up playing guitar in church and being on stage; despite, not singing until he was older. Growing up, the singer recalls loving the uptempo vibe of artists like Florida Georgia Line and Luke Bryan, while also vibing with hip-hop artists like Lil Wayne and T.I.. “I remember being at high school parties with my brother and seeing the reaction to their uptempo vibe,” he shared. “I became just as in love with the fact that music can make you feel a type of way.”

Hicks also credits artists like Rhett Akins and Jason Aldean as early inspirations. Nowadays, he loves artists and songwriters like HARDY, Ernest, and Luke Combs, among many others. “I’m definitely a fan first,” stated the singer. “Now I’m a fan of songwriters, because the songwriters are just as cool as the artists, if not cooler,” he added.

The Turning Point:

“Flash forward to about age 17, a friend of mine was already singing, doing the whole bar gig thing, and I was just playing with him. We were doing acoustic sets, and he called me out to sing, and next thing you know, I start singing, and people started booking me privately myself.”

Hicks started singing and taking his natural talent more seriously, slowly, but surely, making a name for himself in his home state of Georgia. “I started going back and forth to Nashville, doing demos and meeting people, and doing the whole thing, and then January 1st of 2020 is when I made the big move to Nashville, and I haven’t looked back since.”

Since then, Hicks has blended his unique country lyrics with more uptempo sounds that are clearly influenced by his love of hip-hop and rap music. “The cool thing is the only thing that operates hip-hop and country especially with what music is shifting to is just the lyrics. A lot of old hip-hop is drums and stuff like that. I love the shift of where country is going personally. There’s people that are keeping the real western lane open and then you have people leaning into the [other side] and country is getting played in clubs and stuff, which is a huge thing for the genre.”

Today:

Now, Hicks is ready to up the ante in his career. As he continues to crank out more music, the singer continues to show off his growth as a person and as a singer-songwriter. “As I’ve gotten older, I know exactly what I want to do and the kind of music I want to make, and what I have to do to push that narrative. It’s really cool because I was just a hot, fiery, some would say cocky, I say confident kid coming to town. Looking to do the dang thing, and yeah, I guess I’m just more mature and I know myself more, and I’m a better singer, all of it.”

Lately, the singer has been showing off his talents as a duet partner. He recently released a song with Justin Moore called “Dirt Roads Dirt,” and a song called “Second Time Around” featuring rising artist, Shaylen. The latter is a quintessential country song that hits every single time. The push and pull of having a male and female artist combine their talent works effortlessly on this song.

“That song was just another wonderful Nashville day. I was writing with Jessi Alexander and my producer Jeremy Stover, and a guy named Zach Abend, and basically, my producer Jeremy was like, we were writing with Jessi, and she’s a female, and it’s a good opportunity to write a duet. […] Jeremy had the idea for “Second Time Around” and I feel like the song is cool because you can either have had a second time around with someone or you can kind of dream about it too,” shared the singer.

This is just the beginning of this new era of music for Hicks. Fans can anticipate a few more singles coming out before the end of the year. Stay tuned and catch a show near you!

Connect:

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about upcoming Noah Hicks announcements and releases.

To keep up with Noah Hicks, follow him on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Noah Hicks’ music is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

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Who is Drew Baldridge? The Story Behind His Journey to Country Music

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Who is Drew Baldridge? The singer-songwriter joined us to chat about his journey to country music. Get to know the rising star here…

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Drew Baldridge // Photo credit: Russ Harrington

Quick Facts:

Full Name – Drew Baldridge
Birthdate – July 29th
Hometown – Patoka, Illinois
Current City – Nashville, Tennessee
Musical Influences – Trace Adkins, Brooks and Dunn, Josh Turner
Label – Lyric Ridge Records
Current Single – “She’s Somebody’s Daughter” (as of date of article 9/30/24)

The Beginning:

This week, we chatted with singer-songwriter Drew Baldridge about all he has endured in the music industry over his decade long career in country music. Baldridge shared his story in a relatable and inspiring way. Keep reading to learn more.

“I grew up in a little town called Patoka, Illinois in Southern Illinois [on a farm],” began the singer. “I grew up playing in church and took piano lessons when I was really young and picked up guitar when I was sixteen, got hooked, and started playing at all the local bars around my hometown.”

Because of his country lifestyle, Baldridge naturally gravitated towards both gospel music and country music. When it comes to country music, the singer recalls feeling seen by the artists of his generation. Some of his first loves were artists like Alabama and Josh Turner.

“I lived country music songs everyday, and I didn’t really realize it, but I loved listening to it because they were songs about me, songs about where I came from. I didn’t realize it, but when I started writing songs that’s kind of what came out, songs about my little town, songs about the heartbreak I was going through, songs about the backroads, all that stuff.”

The Turning Point:

Upon graduating high school, at just nineteen years old, Baldridge made the move to Nashville, Tennessee. Almost instantly, the singer hit the ground running, performing at bars on Broadway like Tootsie’s. In 2012, the singer earned his first publishing deal, which catapulted into more fans and eventually a record deal.

“I started touring all around the country, and then around 2015, 2016 we signed our first record deal, and I thought I made it. […] Then we put out a couple of songs and none of them really took to radio. Couldn’t get anything up the charts, and it was disheartening to say the least,” shared Baldridge candidly about this journey.

Later, in 2019, the singer put out a batch of songs, including one which he sent to radio. “We put out a song to radio, and I thought it was going to be it. […] My label closed down 3 months later, and I thought ‘Man, I’m going to hop right into a new record deal,’ but that wasn’t really my story, no one was interested in signing me, and then COVID hit, and I was one of those artists that was viewed as one who had a shot, but it didn’t work out.”

Despite the hardships, Baldridge’s journey of perseverance continued. “2020 was a hard year because I lost pretty much everything in that time, and I didn’t know what to do. I had this song in 2019 called “Senior Year,” and suddenly all these Senior high school kids around the country started using the song in their TikTok’s. I thought I had to do something.”

The singer began offering Zoom concerts to anyone who wanted them for the class of 2020 graduates. This catapulted into being invited to play by schools in person for social-distancing events, as well as, radio picking up his song “Senior Year.”

Despite this success, Baldridge still was not making a living from music. He decided to put out a video offering to play a show in anyone’s backyard. “I thought I’d get five or ten shows, but we ended up getting 20 something thousand messages, so I went around the country for two or three years, and played in over 300 people’s backyards, just me and a guitar.

During all that time, Baldridge was posting on social media. “I ended up getting married, and I had this song called “She’s Somebody’s Daughter,” and it was my wife’s favorite, so I made a wedding version just so she could dance to it with her dad on our wedding night,” he shared Adding, “We went on our honeymoon. And I woke up the next day with over ten million views on the song.”

Today:

Flash forward to today, “She’s Somebody’s Daughter” is officially the first country song put out by an independent artist to hit the top spot on the country radio charts. By believing in himself, creating his own record label, and hiring staff, the singer-songwriter was able to accomplish something incredible with an incredible song.

“I’m overwhelmed and incredibly honored that ‘She’s Somebody’s Daughter’ has reached No. 1. on country radio,” he shard in a press release. “I wrote this song six years ago and though I always dreamed we would get to this point, it felt so far away. In my heart, I knew ‘Daughter’ was special, and just needed the right team to help me share it with country radio and fans everywhere. I am so thankful to everyone who has supported me and believed in me over the years. This is truly the best day.”

Heading into the rest of this year, Baldridge has a ton of tour dates and more music coming down the pipeline, as long as fans continue to want them. “I try to put out real songs, and it’s been fun over the last couple of years to be able to be myself and not have to put on any different face,” shared the singer.

Stay tuned for more music and checkout the tour dates here!

Connect:

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news and announcements about future Drew Baldridge releases.

To keep up with Drew Baldridge, follow him on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and Facebook.

Drew Baldridge’s music is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.