who-is-brandon-davis

Who Is Brandon Davis? The Story Behind His Journey to Country Music

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

who-is-brandon-davis

Quick Facts:

Full Name – Brandon Davis

Hometown – Chattanooga, Tennessee

Musical Influences – Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings

 

The Beginning:

Today we shine our spotlight on an artist that we have so much respect for both as a person and as an incredible singer-songwriter. Brandon Davis is a true family-man in every sense of the word. His family is his number one priority, and if you are a fan of his music, you know that. His wife and four children are the common thread that is woven throughout his catalog of songs.

Growing up in Chattanooga, Tennessee, out on Highway 58, Davis was the product of a musical family. “My dad and his dad before him, my uncle, my cousins, we were all into music from an early age,” shared the singer. “I grew up around it and loved it all throughout my life, but I had a passion for it and baseball.”

Although he chose to focus on baseball for most of his upbringing, music was always there to greet him. “Music was there the entire time. I had been writing songs since 8th grade. I constantly played shows with my dad in a family band we had for years at a local spot,” shared Davis.

The singer recalls finding inspiration in classic country music, taking a liking to artists like George Jones and Merle Haggard. “But my passion for writing came from, first when I heard my dad tell me that Merle Haggard wrote so many songs throughout his career, and I asked him what it took to write a song and he pulled out this little black box and inside this little black box was all these different papers that were folded up, had a date written on them, and they were stapled shut, and he said all these are different songs that I have written throughout the years,” shared Davis.

When his baseball career did not pan out due to a shoulder injury, the singer-songwriter did not immediately see a path for music.“It never presented itself to me in a way that I felt like I could make it happen from a professional standpoint,” began Davis. “Nobody ever really knows how to get into music, I don’t think there’s a set way to get into music and at the time, I just couldn’t find my own avenue.” He decided to take the ‘safe’ route and went to school, eventually becoming a design engineer.

During this time in his life, he met the love of his life, his now wife, Destiny, and her two children, which he regards as his oldest daughter and son. This soon set him on the trajectory of music unbeknownst to him.

The Turning Point:

Things took a turn when Davis had a life-altering experience, which eventually led him to pursue music as a living. “It got put into perspective for me when I was on my way to work one morning and a distracted driver came through a red light and ran it, and  wound up hitting hit me, head on at a turn on Highway 53.”

Fortunately for Davis, though he suffered many injuries and emergency surgeries, he survived with a renewed sense of life and a supportive wife and children. “Moments like that really put things in perspective that nothing else can,” he shared, adding later that he asked himself questions like, “What have I not accomplished yet? What have I not chased after?”

Ultimately the answer was music. He told his wife that he wanted to take a shot at pursuing music, and so it began. Davis ventured onto social media and started to try to book gigs. As soon as he started to make headway, the pandemic stopped him in his tracks. “We were kind of back to square one, not knowing how to chase this dream.”

Then, his wife found TikTok and it was a game changer. His heartfelt and incredible videos led to a growing fanbase, who eventually started requesting original music. Davis credits his wife for his success so far, “She knew there was something there when I didn’t.”

Today:

Flash forward to now, Davis has millions of fans across different platforms and has even opened for artists like Tim McGraw and Russell Dickerson. Check out our video of Davis on tour with the two below…

Now, with his debut album under his belt, it is time for the singer-songwriter to continue to make a name for himself. Most recently, Davis released his brand new single, “Wheels on the Truck.” He entered a writing room alongside, Blake Pendergrass, Rhett Akins, and Will Bundy ready to write a fun and enticing jam. “So this song is just a feel-good tune, and it’s been this way since we wrote it,” began the singer. “It was just a cool way to spin the old wheels on the bus nursery rhyme and it was something that immediately drew all three boys into my mind.”

Davis added later that the single, “brought that 90s country sounds that I’m into and a little bit of a modern feel. [….] I hope it is a little bit of an earworm for everyone.” “It’s literally just a huge circle of life, centered around a truck and it goes from one generation to the next.”

Davis is certainly living up to the mantra he tells his children, “I’m the dad that tells his kids every day, chase your dreams, reach for your goals, and don’t let anyone ever tell you no.”

Fans can anticipate more music in the fall, while we all watch his career take off!

Connect:

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

To keep up with Brandon Davis, follow him on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and Facebook.

Brandon Davis’ 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-james-barker-band

Who Is James Barker Band? The Story Behind Their Journey to Country Music

Who is James Barker Band? The lead singer-songwriter of James Barker Band joined us to chat about their journey to country music. Get to know the rising act here…

who-is-james-barker-band

Quick Facts:

Full Name – James Barker Band

Hometown – Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Musical Influences – Eric Church, Maroon 5, The Strokes, Keith Urban

The Beginning:

Today, we are shining our spotlight on a band we have been loving for the last few years, James Barker Band. The Canadian country band continues to grow their fanbase year after year. If you do not have them on your radar, what are you waiting for? We chatted with lead singer-songwriter, James Barker about his career and the trajectory of his namesake group.

James Barker Band is comprised of four talented men – James Barker, Taylor Abram, Connor Stephen, and Bobby Martin. The men are all from different parts of Canada, near Toronto; however, met each other later in life. Barker grew up in Woodville, Ontario, focusing on music right from the get-go.

“I started kind of playing music when I was 4. I played violin actually, weirdly, classical stuff. I got into songwriting at 12, when I started learning guitar.” Barker’s family influenced him from day one. I listened to a lot of different stuff. My dad was from the country, so he always listened to country music, and we always had country music on. But my mom was raised in Toronto, so she listened to all kinds of stuff,” shared the singer.

While in high school, the singer focused on writing music. Then one summer, he met Conner, who would go on to be his first bandmate. “I met a fellow by the name of Conner Stephen at a band camp actually,” began Barker. “We were fans of the same kind of music at the same, angsty teenage stuff, and we started a little band.”

Eventually, after Stephen came back from college, the pair recruited their other two members. “We had done recording with Taylor Abram at a studio and thought we should steal him. And we played with Bobby [Martin] in a couple of different bands, and we stole him too.”

The Turning Point:

James Barker Band was officially formed in 2015. “Music draws like-minded people together. It’s such a country music thing, I mean you see it in Nashville every day,” shared Barker. “If you love music, and do it every day, you’re bound to run into people with the same mindset.”

Despite coming back and forth to Nashville, since 2011, the entire band made the move in 2018 to Music City, bringing their eclectic sound to center stage. “We are always blending [genres] in a cool way,” began Barker. “Especially because it is the four of us, and we all have different musical tastes – you definitely hear stuff that is band-related, especially that all rock kind of thing.”

The band names artists like Keith Urban, Eric Church, Maroon 5, and the Arctic Monkeys as some of their top influences. Barker even shared that the band loves incorporating soul, hip-hop, and R&B into their music as well. “One thing we have never done is say ‘we have to make this sound country,’ we’re always like this just has to sound like us, but because we love country music first and foremost, it’s going to come out like that.”

Fortunately, for JBB, the pandemic was a time for them to continue to hone their craft. The artists spent the time perfecting their sound and improving their songwriting ability. “When you have so much time to just concentrate on something, you just get better so much faster,” shared Barker. Adding,“You mature as an artist and you mature as a writer, and I feel like you definitely hear that in our music.”

Today:

Flash-forward to today, James Barker Band got to release one of their pandemic tunes. Most recently, the band dropped their new single, “Rain All Summer.” The sensual and nostalgic song is the perfect blend of soul and country. “With “Rain All Summer” you definitely hear our maturity and our gain in complexities,” shared Barker.

“The cool thing about writing any song, it’s like figuring out the vibe of the song and what the real emotions are before you dig into the lyrics.” With this song, the vibe was all about “giving you a reason not to leave this room.” The song was created to be this sexy and fantasy-like song without being too on the nose, or romantic.

“You can push the envelope a bit sonically and musically, but the lyrics always need to make sense and live like a freaking working-class person,” shared Barker.

Fans can anticipate more new music to come soon from James Barker Band. The lead singer let us know that they have a ton of new music ready to go. Fans can also look forward to more fun TikTok’s and social media escapades from the band, as well as, more live shows sooner rather than later.

Connect:

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

To keep up with James Barker Band, follow them on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

James Barker Band’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-kyle-clark

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

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

who-is-kyle-clark

Quick Facts:

Full Name – Kyle Clark

Hometown – Jefferson, Georgia

Musical Influences – Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, John Mayer

The Beginning:

Today’s spotlight artist is one of the masterminds behind Lily Rose’s breakout single, “Villain.” Kyle Clark is a talented singer-songwriter, who has been working towards a career in music for a long time coming, discovering a love for the craft at an early age.

Although born in Hawaii, Clark spent most of his life in Georgia, even attending both the University of North Georgia and the University of Georgia later in life. Music was a staple in his childhood. “Whenever it came to music, I always had music playing in the house. My parents, from early on, were listening to artists like George Strait, Kenny Chesney, and Alan Jackson.”

At just five years old, Clark developed an appreciation for country music, but especially Chesney. “I really loved Kenny Chesney. He was my hero when it came to country music.” The singer recalls performing Chesney songs around the house and yelling into the camera, “I’m Kenny Chesney.” Interestingly enough, when he would say that, his mom would respond back, “I hope you will be someday.” That adorable audio will someday be in an upcoming song too!

As Clark got older, he started to broaden his affinity for music. “Music was always a big part of my childhood. Whether it was country music and also Jimmy Buffet or Bob Marley. Then there was also classic rock. I loved Boston.” At thirteen years old, the singer picked up the guitar, and around fifteen years old, he began to write music, heavily investing back into his first love, country music.

At that same time, one of his teachers noticed how interested in music he was, and asked him to play at the ‘Ms. Jackson County Pageant.’ This went on to be his first ever live performance, and he was hooked.

The Turning Point:

While attending college, Clark began to garner traction with his music career. He competed in several competitions, even winning the Nash Next competition for Atlanta. This led him to have opportunities that he could never have dreamed of. He was asked (and obliged) to open up for Darius Rucker. “I was like now I’m going to be playing at Verizon Wireless […] When I got to play, there were probably 1000 to 2000 people in the audience.”

Later on, he continued to foster a connection with the local radio station, which continued to help him gain more opportunities. One of those opportunities was to open for Kane Brown. Clark recalls Brown encouraging him to work on his social media presence, look for an agent, and continue to work on his craft. He was even nice enough to post a picture of the two of them together, which helped Clark to gain a bigger social media following.

“I just continued to think, ‘how do I do this again, how do I continue to have events like this and feel the way that it makes me feel getting to play songs for people.'”

As fate would have it, eventually someone in Nashville began to notice his talent and reached out to have a meeting with him and producer, Jordan Schmidt. That meeting led to his first ever publishing deal and eventual move to Nashville in June of 2019.

“It was just like let’s keep writing songs, so I think I came back in May and I wrote again with some people, and we even cut a couple of songs that I had written at that point,” shared the singer, adding later, “I moved the week of CMA Fest and I just met everyone.”

Today:

Flash forward to today, Clark has overcome many obstacles, since moving to Nashville. The singer-songwriter spent 6 months with a publishing deal, until the pandemic through things off course. During that time he helped create Lily Rose’s “Villain,” as well as, started to release music of his own.

Most recently, the singer released the acoustic version of his song “Hope It’s Hot Out.” The singer wrote the track, during his spring break on his second writing trip to Nashville. Both versions of the song showcase Clark’s undeniable talent and charm.

The singer is also set to release a brand new song with fellow newcomer, Troy Cartwright called “Bad Day To Be A Beer.” The upcoming single is fun-loving, a perfect summer anthem that fans are sure to fall in love with. Fans can anticipate the song’s release, this Friday (8/12).

“If you surround yourself with the right people and the people that are doing the right thing, then good things are going to happen,” shared the singer, before acknowledging that this is just the start! Fans can expect more new music coming soon!

Connect:

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

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

Kyle Clark’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.

Country Swag Spotlights: A-Z Index (Full Catalog)

Over the years, we have interviewed some of the best rising talents in the country music industry and their journey to what led them to music today. Check out the full index below to learn more about your favorite new artists…

 

A

Abby Anderson (2018)
Abbey Cone (2021)
Abbie Callahan (2026)
Ada Pasternak (2025)
Adam Sanders (2021)
Alana Springsteen (2020)
Alannah McCready (2021)
Alex Hall (2020)
Alexander Ludwig (2022)
Alexandra Kay (2025)
Ana Cristina Cash (2018)
Andrew Jannakos (2020)
Anella Herim (2024)
Anna Vaus (2022)
Anne Wilson (2023)
Ashla Taylor (2018)
Ashland Craft (2025)
Ashlyn Grayce (2018)
Ashley Brooks (2026)
Ashley Cooke (2022)
Atlus (2026)
Austin Burke (2022)
Austin Snell (2023)
Avery Anna (2022)

B

The Band Loula (2025)
Bastian Baker (2018)
Bayker Blankenship (2025)
Becca Bowen (2024)
Belles (2024) + (2021)
Ben Burgess (2022)
Ben Chapman (2023)
Ben Gallaher (2025)
Benny G (2025)
Braedon Barnhill (2025)
Brandon Davis (2022)
Brandon Ratcliff (2019)
Brandon Stansell (2018)
Breland (2022)
Brendan Walter (2025)
Brenna Bone (2021)
Brennley Brown (2019)
Brent Cobb (2023)
Brett Landin (2025)
Brett Sheroky (2018)
Brinley Addington (2024) + (2018)
Britnee Kellog (2019)
Brittney Spencer (2021)
Brooke Eden (2024)
Brooke Moriber (2024) + (2021)
Bryce Leatherwood (2023)

C

Callie Twisselman (2024)
Callista Clark (2021)
Canaan Cox (2022)
Carolyn Miller (2018)
Carter Faith (2023)
Caylee Hammack (2024)
CB30 (2020)
CJ Solar (2018)
Chapel Hart (2023)
Charles Esten (2024)
Chase McDaniel (2024)
Chase Wright (2021)
Chayce Beckham (2022)
Chevel Shepherd (2020)
Clark Manson (2019)
Clayton Anderson (2022)
Clayton Mullen (2025)
Clever (2024)
Cody Hibbard (2023)
Cody Purvis (2020)
Cody Webb (2019)
Colby Acuff (2023)
Cole Bradley (2020)
Cole Goodwin (2025)
Colin Stough (2025) + (2023)
Conner Smith (2022)
Cooper Alan (2021)
Cory Marks (2020)
Craig Campbell (2018)

D

Dalton Dover (2023)
Dasha (2023)
David J (2022)
Davisson Brothers Band (2020)
Delta Rae (2018)
DEMPS (2024)
Don Louis (2024)
Donovan Woods (2019)
Drake Milligan (2021)
Drew Baldridge (2024) + (2018)
Drew Green (2020)
Drew Parker (2020)
Dylan Marlowe (2022)
Dylan Schneider (2021)

E

Eddie And The Getaway (2025)
Eli Winders (2024)
Elizabeth Lyons (2022) + (2019)
Elizabeth Nichols (2025)
Elvie Shane (2021)
Erin Alvey (2025)
Erin Kinsey (2024) + (2021)
Erin Kirby (2023) + (2021)
Ernest (2023)

F

Faith Hopkins (2025)

G

Garrett Bradford (2025)
George Birge (2023)
Georgia Webster (2021)
Grace Leer (2022)
Graham St. Clair Band (2026)
Grant Gilbert (2022)
Greylan James (2023)
Griffen Palmer (2023)

H

Haley Mae Campbell (2018)
Hannah Bethel (2019)
Hannah Dasher (2020)
Hannah Ellis (2024) + (2019)
Harper Grace (2026) + (2023)
Harper Grae (2021)
Hayden Haddock (2019)
Heath Sanders (2019)
Home Free (2018)
Honey Country (2020)
Hudson Valley (2020)
Hudson Westbrook (2025)
Hueston (2024)
HunterGirl (2022)

I

Ian Flanigan

J

J. Antonette (2019)
The Jack Wharff Band (2025)
Jackson Michelson (2021)
Jackson Wendell (2025)
Jacob Bryant (2020)
Jacob Hackworth (2025)
Jade Eagleson (2022)
Jaden Hamilton (2020)
Jake Worthington (2023)
James Barker Band (2022)
James Dupré (2020)
Jameson Rodgers (2018)
Jamie Gabrielle (2020)
Jay Allen (2023)
Jay Bragg (2020)
Jenna Davis (2025) + (2023)
Jenna Paulette (2021) + (2019)
Jennifer Smestad (2021)
Jessica Willis Fisher (2022)
Jillian Cardarelli (2022)
Jillian Jacqueline (2018)
Jimmie Allen (2018)
Joe Lasher (2018)
Joe Nichols (2025)
John King (2021) + (2019)
John Morgan (2022)
Jon Langston (2018)
Jon Wood (2019)
Jordan Rager (2020) + (2018)
Jordan Rowe (2020)
Jordana Bryant (2025)
Jordyn Stoddard (2019)
Josh Kelley (2020)
Josh Kiser (2022)
Josh Melton (2020)
Josh Ross (2022)
Joshua Dylan Balis (2022)
Josiah Siska (2023)
Juna N Joey (2021)
Justin Fabus (2018)
Justin Schools (2025)

K

Kaleb Lee (2019)
Kalie Shorr (2019)
Kameron Marlowe (2020)
Kären McCormick (2019)
Karen Waldrup (2018)
Karley Scott Collins (2022)
Kasey Tyndall (2021)
Kat Luna (2025)
Kaylee Rutland (2018)
Kayley Green (2024)
Kelleigh Bannen (2018)
Kelsey Hart (2023)
Kelsey Lamb (2018)
Kevin Smiley (2025)
KC Bruner (2026)
Kinsey Rose (2023)
Kirby Ai (2019)
Kolby Cooper (2021)
Kree Harrison (2019)
Kristen Merlin (2021)
Kyle Clark (2022)
Kyle Daniel (2024)
Kylie Frey (2020)
Kylie Morgan (2019)

L

Laci Kaye Booth (2021)
LAKEVIEW (2020)
LANCO (2024)
Landon Parker (2023)
Lanie Gardner (2024)
Larry Fleet (2023)
Lauren Craig (2026)
Lauren Davidson (2018)
Lauren Duski (2019)
Lauren Watkins (2023)
Lavish Life (2025)
Leah Turner (2019)
LECADE (2024)
Lena Stone (2019)
Lewis Brice (2018)
Lily Rose (2024) + (2021)
Liv Charette (2020)
LJ (2019)
Logan Brill (2018)
Logan Crosby (2022)
Lori McKenna (2019)

M

MacKenzie Porter (2024) + (2021)
Mackenzie Carpenter (2023)
Madeline Consoer (2022)
Madeline Merlo (2022)
Madeline Edwards (2022)
Mae Estes (2023)
MAMADEAR (2019)
Manny Blu (2020)
MaRynn Taylor (2021)
Matt Ferranti (2020)
Matt Koziol (2022)
Matt Roy (2022)
Matt Schuster (2023)
Matt Stell (2018)
Matt Williams (2018)
Maybe April (2018)
Meels (2026)
Meg McRee (2023)
Megan Moroney (2023)
Meghan Patrick (2024)
Michael James (2024)
Mike Gossin (2023)
Mike Ryan (2018)
Minnie Murphy (2022)
Mitch Rossell (2021)
Morgan Johnston (2022)

N

Naomi Johnson (2025)
Nashvillains (2022)
Nate Barnes (2021)
Nate Botsford (2019)
Nate Smith (2022)
Natalie Stovall (2018)
Neon Union (2023)
Nessa Lea (2021)
Nikki Briar (2020)
Niko Moon (2019)
Noah Guthrie (2022)
Noah Hicks (2024) + (2021)
Noah Thompson (2022)
Noah Rinker (2025)
Nolan Sotillo (2021)
Not Leaving Sober (2025)

O
P

Parker McKay (2020)
Parmalee (2018)
Paulina Jayne (2020)
Payton Smith (2025)
Peytan Porter (2022) + (2023)
PJ North (2019)
Preston Cooper (2025)
Priscilla Block (2020) + (2025)

Q
R

Rachel Bradshaw (2022)
Rachele Lynae (2020)
RaeLynn (2023)
Raleigh Keegan (2019)
Randall Fowler (2024)
Randall King (2024)
Randy Rogers & Wade Bowen (2020)
Rayne Johnson (2019)
The Reklaws (2024)
Redferrin (2024)
Reid Haughton (2023)
Renee Blair (2018)
Restless Road (2020)
Risa Binder (2018)
Rob Baird (2019)
Robert Counts (2020)
Robyn Ottolini (2022)
Roman Alexander (2021)
Ron Pope (2020)
Ryan Larkins (2023)
Ryan and Rory (2024)

S

Sacha (2021)
Sam Grow (2018)
Sam Sample (2025)
Sam Williams (2019)
SaraBeth (2018)
Sean Stemaly (2020)
Seaforth (2019)
Seth Ennis (2022)
Shane Profitt (2023)
Shawn Austin (2022)
Shaylen (2024)
Shelby Darrall (2024)
Skip Ewing (2024)
Sophia Scott (2022)
Southerland (2020)
Spencer Crandall (2021)
Spencer Hatcher (2025)
Spinn (2018)
Stephanie Quayle (2019)
Stephen Wilson Jr. (2023)
Sterling Drake (2025)
Sundance Head (2018)
Swearingen & Kelli (2019)

T

Tanner Adell (2023)
Tanner Usrey (2023)
Tara Thompson (2019)
Taryn Papa (2022)
Tayler Holder (2023)
Taylor Acorn (2019)
Tebey (2020)
Teddy Robb (2020) + (2018)
Tenille Arts (2021)
Tenille Townes (2018)
Tera Lynn Fister (2020)
Terra Bella (2019)
The Swon Brothers (2019)
The Young Fables (2022)
Tiera Kennedy (2023) (2020)
Tiffany Woys (2024) (2019)
Tigirlily Gold (2023)
Tim Dugger (2024)
Timmy McKeever (2025)
Tommy Cole (2018)
Tori Martin (2019)
Track 45 (2020)
Trent Harmon (2018)
Trey Lewis (2021)
Trey Pendley (2026)
Tristan Jackson (2018)
Troy Cartwright (2023) + (2021)
Tucker Wetmore (2024)
Twinnie (2024)
Tyler Braden (2021)
Tyler Dial (2022)
Tyler Halverson (2023)
Tyler Hilton (2019)
Tyler Nance (2026)

U
V

Valerie Ponzio (2018)
VAVO (2023)
Vincent Mason (2023)

W

Walker County (2024)
Walker Montgomery (2019)
Warren Zeiders (2021)
Waylon Wyatt (2024)
Whitney Duncan (2020)
Williams Honor (2020)
Willie Jones (2021)
Willow Avalon (2025)
Wyatt Flores (2023)

X
Y
Z

Zach John King (2025)
Zandi Holup (2025)

who-is-logan-crosby

Who Is Logan Crosby? The Story Behind His Journey to Country Music

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

who-is-logan-crosby

Logan Crosby // Credit: Jake Powers

Quick Facts:

Full Name – Logan Crosby

Hometown – Milledgeville, Georgia

Musical Influences – Chris Stapleton, George Strait, The Allman Brothers Band,

 

The Beginning:

One of our favorite things about Country Swag is our ability to champion new artists before they officially take off. We believe that will be the case for today’s spotlight artist, Logan Crosby. If that name sounds familiar to you already, you may recognize the singer-songwriter from his impressive TikTok or from the new show ‘Claim to Fame.’ However, you are going to remember him for his undeniable talent and charm.

Crosby grew up in a small town in Georgia. His upbringing allowed him access to explore all of the musical genres that were at his fingertips as a kid. “Growing up in Georgia, there are so many different musical influences. Otis Redding was born right down the road from me. You got the Allman Brothers, you got Little Richard and then you have Luke Bryan, Sugarland, and so on. Then you have Atlanta, which is one of the biggest hubs of rap music. Of course, it’s the south, so there’s also a lot of gospel music,” shared the artist.

He recalls constantly shuffling through different music throughout his childhood, including artists like Aretha Franklin and even Chris Stapleton. Crosby shares that he learned to sing in the choir at church, but it was not until he turned seventeen that he finally learned how to play guitar and piano.

“Growing up, I always kind of had it in my head that I wanted to do music, that I wanted to be in the entertainment business.” Despite that knowledge, Crosby did not know exactly how he was going to achieve those dreams. Instead, he attended college at The University of Georgia in Athens.

The Turning Point:

While attending university, Crosby learned the power of his talent and the power of social media. His skills as an artist were not just a “party trick.” The singer created a TikTok page and luckily had a video go viral. Ironically, the song was just a funny video and not music-oriented.

“It wasn’t a music TikTok, but somebody saw that I did music and they were like ‘can you cover this song?’ and then someone else was like, “can you cover this song?,”‘ shared the singer. By summer 2021, Crosby accumulated almost 30K followers on the app alone. This led him to start playing shows and taking music a bit more seriously.

“I started putting out some of my own music on TikTok, I called it original music Fridays and people loved it. […] And I was like, let’s give it a shot, let’s see what happens.”

Today:

Now, Crosby has accumulated almost 90K followers and 2.5 million likes on TikTok. The singer also released his first ever song thanks to his fans. “If Jesus Was A Cowboy” officially dropped on July 15th. “I was looking for something with this first song a little bit different, and so it’s not your typical full band, everybody’s jammed out kind of stuff.”

According to Crosby, “I wrote [the song] after watching an episode of ‘1883.’ It took me 25 minutes to write the song, but I kind of went in, and I was like this is how I feel. And I think putting out music that is relatable to people is what people want to hear.”

Crosby yearns to continue to create and release music that people can relate to. He truly believes in the art of storytelling. “I love writing music. It’s my favorite thing to do,” shared the singer, adding, “That’s kind of the simple, country music, where you’re putting the emotion and the raw-feel back into it is who I am, that’s who I have always been.”

Fans can look forward to another new single coming out in the fall, as well as, the continuation of the show he is on ‘Claim To Fame’ through mid-September. Make sure to keep Crosby on your radar!

Connect:

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

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

Logan Crosby’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-madeline-consoer

Who Is Madeline Consoer? The Story Behind Her Journey to Country Music

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

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Quick Facts:

Full Name – Madeline Consoer

Birthday – January 16th, 1996

Hometown – Eagle River, Wisconsin 

Musical influences – Shania Twain, Maren Morris, Taylor Swift

 

The Beginning:

Today our spotlight shines on an artist you might recognize from NBC’s hit show, The Voice. Madeline Consoer is a talented singer-songwriter, who charmed her way to the top 17 of the competition show, cut her teeth in Nashville, and now is finally working on her own artistry. It has been a long time coming for the incredible songstress.

Growing up in a very small town in Wisconsin, Consoer recalls always being into music. “I always knew I wanted to be a musician. I swear there was never anything else for me,” she shared. Confidently adding, “I knew, I was going to be a singer.”

As a child, the songstress remembers having movie nights with her parents. “I would always pick the Shania Twain live concert DVD,” she shared. “I loved it. I was so obsessed with it. I knew all the moves that she did on the stage […] She was, and still is, my biggest icon.”

Consoer continued to find inspiration in powerful female artists in the industry, such as Taylor Swift and later, Maren Morris and Kelsea Ballerini. “When you see them out there and making it, you’re like ‘I can do that.’”

At just fourteen years old, Consoer won her first music competition. “I got a waitressing job and did the competition at the place I worked at […] I was too young to even enter, but they let me do it anyway, and I won the whole thing,” shared the singer. She went on to play her first gigs every Tuesday night for a few summers.

The Turning Point:

After graduating high school, Consoer headed to Minnesota for college. Admittedly, she hated it, but thought it was something she had to do at the time. Eventually, on spring break at just nineteen years old, Consoer took a trip to Nashville that would go on to change her life.

“I came to Nashville on spring break and I got pulled up on stage when I was like 19 by this guy that I knew, because he had moved to Nashville prior and I sang a song,” she began. Adding, “the guy who booked the bands at Tootsies heard me, and asked “what are you doing Saturday?'”

Although she knew that she did not technically live in Nashville (yet), she auditioned anyway. She got hired on the spot. “I started playing in Nashville and then I had to make up this whole story that I had to go home,” adding later, “I went back to Wisconsin for a few weeks, packed everything up, and moved to Nashville.”

She began playing on Broadway, five to six nights a week, while continuing to write music and expanding to co-writing music with friends. “I started to use social media as a tool to reach out to people and form new connections.” 

Eventually her hardworking and talent led her to land a spot at the blind auditions on The Voice.  “It was the craziest experience of my life. […] Obviously, I got voted off, top 17. At first, I was really bummed at the time. But then I was like ‘Oh My Gosh, I have this huge audience now.’”

She later added, “Now I have 14K followers that want to hear my music. It was honestly this boost in confidence and work ethic.”

Today:

Since her experience on The Voice, Consoer yearned to create even more music. She slowed down her gigging on Broadway and decided to focus on her artistry. She got a day job and began to write and record music every waking moment that she could. “I released that cover of “Die From A Broken Heart.” It did so well for me. It got like 2.3 million views on TikTok on a video.”

Since then, Consoer has started to release original music. Just a few weeks ago, the singer-songwriter released her song “Wish You Away.” “I just remember saying don’t you wish you could go back to those good times again. When you were sixteen, you wished you were eighteen so you could go to college,” shared the artist. “You keep wishing these great years away because you just want to feel a bit older.”

Most recently, Madeline Consoer dropped her latest new track, a brand new song out called “How Do I Not.”

This is clearly just the beginning for Consoer. She will continue to share music, just as often as she has feelings, so keep your eyes and ears open! “I want to keep cranking them out to tell my story. […] This is what I do. I have to write these songs.”

Connect:

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

To keep up with Madeline Consoer, follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Madeline Consoer’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-sophia-scott

Who Is Sophia Scott? The Story Behind Her Journey to Country Music

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

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Sophia Scott // Credit: Alex Berger

Quick Facts:

Full Name – Sophia Scott

Birthday – December 26th

Hometown – Boulder, Colorado

Musical influences – Mariah Carey, The Chicks, James Taylor

 

The Beginning:

Today’s spotlight artist is taking the country music world by storm in her own, individual way. Growing up in Boulder, Colorado, Sophia Scott has always had a connection to country music.

“I grew up in a musical household. My entire family is very musical and all play instruments,” began the singer-songwriter. “There was a close connection to country music. I grew up listening to a lot of country music, and it was just the natural direction for me to go.”

During her childhood, Scott was in a two-family band with her cousins, as well as, started to write music. “I was [also] in choir and theater and all of those things growing up,” shared the songstress.

Despite her love for country music, Scott credits soul and pop music for her vocal ability. She is inspired by artists like Mariah Carey, TLC, Whitney Houston, and country artists like The Chicks, James Taylor, and Willie Nelson. “I was so in love with country lyrics and just the storytelling side of that, but I love soul vocals. I sort of blended those two things together, and that’s basically how my influences have created me and my sound.”

The Turning Point:

Although Scott knew she wanted to pursue her artistry as a living, she followed the advice of her father and went to college in San Diego. Upon graduating, the singer moved to Los Angeles to begin her career. “I moved to LA and was there for almost 7 years, doing country music there […] I was back and forth between there and Nashville quite a bit,” shared the singer.

While residing in LA, Scott kept being told that she needed to go to Nashville to write. Eventually, she took the plunge and has been living in Nashville for the last few years. “Once I got here, I felt like I was home. It just felt right.”

Upon moving to Nashville, the singer began working on releasing a full project. Although the pandemic set her back a year, she finally has that project out for fans.

Today:

Flash forward to today, Scott’s EP, One Of These Days is officially out. The six-song project was a long time coming for the singer-songwriter. “I have been working on a lot of these songs for over four years. […] I have been working towards a project since 2019.

Scott later shared, “When things started opening back up, I signed my label deal with Empire, up until that point I had only ever released singles, and I really wanted to make a name for myself in town [with the EP].”

The project, as a whole, gives fans a taste of Scott’s personality and her talent as a singer, and as a songwriter. According to the songstress, “I really wanted to have a full project, a full story of me.” Adding later, “I picked these six and some of them are vulnerable sad girl songs, and others are female empowerment, and party anthems too.”

Although currently leaning into the more fun tracks on the EP, such as “Don’t Tempt Me,” Scott shared with us that her favorite is the title track. “I’ve been holding on to it the longest. It came from a very real, vulnerable, emotional place. It’s become this reminder to myself that I can kind of go through anything.”

If the EP is any inclination, Scott’s music is only going to continue to evolve as the years go on. She promises more music is on the horizon and more live dates to see her play soon! Keep your eyes peeled!

Connect:

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

To keep up with Sophia Scott, follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Sophia Scott’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-tyler-dial

Who Is Tyler Dial? The Story Behind His Journey to Country Music

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

who-is-tyler-dial

Quick Facts:

Full Name – Tyler Dial

Birthday – October 20th, 1995

Hometown – Arizona

Musical Influences – John Mayer, Keith Urban, Sam Hunt

 

The Beginning:

In this week’s feature, we are sharing about an artist that we are loving lately, Tyler Dial. Recently, the singer-songwriter put out his latest EP, Way Back When, and we were immediately hooked. Now, we get to share his story with you all.

Dial grew up listening to country music in Arizona. Thanks in part to his dad’s career, a concert promoter, the singer often attended concerts as a kid and was always in rooms where guitars were readily available. “Country music was prominent in my life, but all my friends growing up and stuff were listening to rap and pop and stuff, so I felt a little bit like an outsider,” shared the singer. Adding later, “My dad is from Texas, so I learned a lot about country music from him.”

Thanks to his father, Dial grew up loving artists like George Strait, Garth Brooks, and James Taylor; however, it was country radio that really excited him personally. “On country radio, when I first started thinking about doing music, it was people like Keith Urban and John Mayer, who really influenced me early on,” shared the singer.

Dial added later, “And seeing people like Taylor Swift and Sam Hunt, Maren Morris, coming up – I was the guy who loved finding new country artists before they broke and burning my friends CDs of their songs. I was kind of obsessed with finding new country artists, while I was trying to be one myself.”

The Turning Point:

Dial took his love of music to the south, where he attended the University of Texas. “I went to UT and I had a few offers to play soccer in college, but I really just saw it as an opportunity to do music full-time.”

While attending school, the singer learned about the bustling Texas-country music scene, as well as, more about the industry as a whole. “I have this country radio background, but also [this] inspiration of living in Texas for four years and playing in Austin pretty much every weekend, and playing in that scene down there.”

While in college, Dial still set his sights on Nashville. “I lived in Nashville, pretty much every summer of college, and interned at studios and management companies, kind of as an excuse to be out here and started writing songs.”

Upon graduation, Dial officially made the move to Music City, even convincing his college band to make the move with him.

Today:

Flash forward to today, Dial is continuously cutting his teeth in Nashville as both a singer and a songwriter. “I’ve been living in Nashville for the last four years and am working on an album,” shared the singer. “We’re finally putting music out in the world again […] It’s been fun, it’s been a dream come true.”

Most recently, Dial released his Way Back When EP. The project has six incredible songs that really showcase his artistry and his spirit as a person and as an artist. “These six songs are kind of some of the older ones that I have been sitting on for the longest time. I think it’s important to show my growth as an artist […] These are the songs that moved the needle for me behind the scenes,” shared Dial.

Songs like, “Left of Center” sum up exactly who Dial is and what he has to say, while the title track bods wells a classic, nostalgic, radio type of song. The EP truly has something for everyone.

This is only the beginning for Dial. He is planning on getting out on the road more this year and has more new music on the horizon. A new project, possibly an album is already in the works. Keep your eyes and ears open!

Connect:

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

To keep up with Tyler Dial, follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Tyler Dial’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.

robyn-ottolini

Who Is Robyn Ottolini? The Story Behind Her Journey to Country Music

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

robyn-ottolini

Quick Facts:

Full Name – Robyn Ottolini

Birthday – July 31st, 1995

Hometown – Uxbridge, Ontario, Canada

Musical influences – Kacey Musgraves, Maren Morris, Taylor Swift

Favorite song right now – “I Don’t Go Back” – Kassi Ashton

 

The Beginning:

Today we are introducing you to a new country artist that is sure to blow up. Robyn Ottolini is a songstress from Canada, who recently signed with Warner Music Nashville. Her voice and songwriting talent rival any artist in country music today. Keep reading to learn her story.

“I grew up in a small town just north of Toronto in Canada,” began Ottolini. “I loved music since I was a kid, but I didn’t come from a musical family. It was just me who loved to sing and play guitar and do all that stuff.”

The songstress always gravitated towards music and often used music to express herself. At the early age of thirteen, Ottolini started writing and crafting songs in her bedroom, drawing inspiration from artists like Taylor Swift and later, Kacey Musgraves and Maren Morris.

“I started writing songs at 13 and picked up a guitar at 14 and just kept playing. I kept going and [eventually started] playing small shows in my town,” continued the singer.

Still, despite a clear love and knack for music, Ottolini did not envision a path where she could make it in the industry. “The thought of having a record deal only happens to certain people, and I wasn’t one of them.”

The Turning Point:

When the pandemic hit, Ottolini’s focus shifted. “I was doing music independently, trying to work social media, and doing my day job,” shared the singer, adding, “Then the pandemic hit, and I just started really honing in on social media because that was the only way to connect with people at the time.”

While using social media to spread her music, her song “F-150″ went viral. “I put F-150 out in February and then the pandemic hit, and from there on out I was posting it on social media, trying to make trends happen, and soon enough it picked up,” shared the singer-songwriter.

As fate would have it, industry executives in Nashville started to notice Ottolini’s talent through her online presence. “Eventually, people in Nashville heard of me and they were wondering who I was,” shared the singer. “I kept going and going, and eventually I got signed with Warner Music Nashville.”

Today:

Now a Nashville resident and a signed artist, Ottolini is eager to share more music with her growing fanbase. Most recently, the songstress dropped her killer song, “Say It.” The single has already resonated with fans across the genre. We happen to love it too.

“Back when I was dating the F-150 guy, I felt like I really had to beg for a compliment,” shared Ottolini, when asked about the inspiration for the new song. “It was one of those things, where I was like ‘do I like me? do I think I’m pretty?’ You have to go through this journey about what do I wish I would have heard that could have made me a better, more independent person, that I could of gave myself.”

Ottolini further encourages others to “Give yourself the power. Tell yourself how cool you are and get the heck on with ruling the world.”

While you are doing that, make sure you remember Ottolini’s name! She is not going anywhere anytime soon. Fans can anticipate more music coming in the upping months, as she works towards a collection of songs and becomes a mainstay at festivals all season long.

Connect:

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

To keep up with Robyn Ottolini, follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Robyn Ottolini’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-shawn-austin

Who Is Shawn Austin? The Story Behind His Journey to Country Music

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

who-is-shawn-austin

Shawn Austin // Photo by Chris Hornbuckle

Quick Facts:

Full Name – Shawn Austin

Birthday – January 13th

Hometown – Vancouver, Canada

Musical Influences – Keith Urban, Brad Paisley, Stevie Ray Vaughan

 

The Beginning:

We are back again with our next installment from our Spotlight series. Today, we are urging you to take note of singer-songwriter, Shawn Austin. The talented Nashville transplant is as talented a vocalist, as he is, an overall artist. We enjoyed getting to know Austin and his story of becoming a signed country recording artist.

Shawn Austin grew up in Vancouver, Canada. “I grew up in a very musical house, but I was kind of that typical jock. Baseball was the focus for a long, long time,” began Austin. Despite being surrounded by music, the singer was all about sports. However, in high school, he began to shift his focus to another hobby, music.

In order to to take the jazz band and rock band classes offered at his high school, Austin picked up the guitar. It was a really good opportunity to hone my craft and boost my GPA at the same time.” He added later, “It certainly set the foundation for me getting here today. Shortly after I got out of high school, I started playing restaurants and bars all over Vancouver and Whistler, anywhere I could play.”

With his baseball career sidelining him due to injuries, Austin became fixated on music throughout his time in college and thereafter. “I dove in with everything I had and thank god that happened.”

The Turning Point:

Since becoming a diehard music fan, Austin studied different genres of music in order to find his own unique sound as an artist. “I’ve always considered myself a mutt of music. […] There’s a lot of classic rock, a lot of country, a lot of pop, a lot of R&B,” shard the singer when asked about his musical influences.

“It’s been a great opportunity to explore all the different genres and pull influences from other genres, but country music was always going to be the foundation,” shared the singer. Adding later, “for whatever reason, the country sound, the country storytelling, the songwriting process of that always resonated with me the most.”

Continuing to develop his sound, Austin entered into a few musical competitions back in 2013. “It exposed me to so many great artists. We all got a chance to exchange stories and I kept hearing over and over again ‘you have to move to Nashville, you have to move to Nashville’,” began the singer.

“I made my first trip down [to Nashville] in 2015 and walked Music Row and did everything you’re not supposed to do, knocking on every door, getting a million ‘nos,'” shared the singer reflecting on his first time in Music City.

“I wouldn’t trade that now, because I think it gave me so much more appreciation for when things start to roll for you. It gave me a really great opportunity to explore Nashville as well.”

Today:

Flash forward to today, Austin is a signed Nashville recording artist. He inked his record deal with Big Loud/Dallas Smith joint venture, Local Hay back in 2021. Tomorrow, June 29th, the singer is dropping his brand new EP, Planes Don’t Wait.

The record has felt like 2.5 years in the making for Austin, who really credits the time spent during the pandemic for the creative process.  “Had we not had the downtime that the pandemic brought, we would not have gotten this more concise, true project to who I am now on these seven songs,” shared the singer “These songs reflect me as a person and me as an artist, and kind of where I am in life now.”

The seven-song project is slated to be some of the best work Austin has put out yet. One of the unreleased songs, “Somewhere in Austin,” is the singer’s current favorite on the project (although it changes). Written by Jordan Dozzi, Jacob Durrett, and Craig Wiseman, the song was a late addition that Austin just fell in love with. “It’s a special song that takes me back to that sound and that kind of vibe, but elevated.”

Austin also adds, “I also really have a really big soft spot for “Tailgate To Heaven” simply because it was so full circle to have Chris Lane on a track now.” As we wait for the record to be released, fans can expect more music and live shows on the horizon for the blossoming artist. He is definitely not going anywhere!

Connect:

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

To keep up with Shawn Austin, follow him on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Shawn Austin’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.