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Ashley Cooke Shares Personal New Song “Back In The Saddle”

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Ashley Cooke’s new song, “Back In The Saddle,” is out now, September 16th, on all streaming platforms. Listen to the brand new, personal track below.

One of our favorite rising artists, Ashley Cooke’s star continues to rise with each and every release. She released her single, “getting into,” last month, and now she is adding another single to her growing catalog. Cooke’s new song, “Back In The Saddle” is officially out now.

The new song was written by Jordan Minton, Josh Kerr, and Jordan Reynolds. Although the track was written by three men, it is hard to imagine anyone other than Cooke singing it and bringing it to life. Lyrically, “Back In The Saddle,” is an anthem for anyone who is having a tough time dealing with a break-up. It provides hope and relatability throughout the lyrics.

“Getting back in the saddle // Putting boots in the gravel // leaving her memory in an ole dust cloud // You ditching this missing him merry go round // Baby what we say // We been drinking and we ain’t // Trying to ride off into the sunset // No this is just and me trying to forget // Getting back in the saddle”

While it is hard to choose a favorite Cooke song, “Back In The Saddle” is definitely a top contender!

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Ashley Cooke’s new song, “Back In The Saddle” is out now.

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

To keep up with Ashley Cooke, follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

“Back In The Saddle” is now available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released music here on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

9.24.22 – Country Swag Presents: Country Night – The After Party for a Cause

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Ashley Cooke Drops New Song “getting into” Out Now

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Ashley Cooke’s new song, “getting into,” is out now, August 12th, on all streaming platforms. Listen to the brand new, personal track below.

This is going to be Ashley Cooke’s year! The newly signed Big Loud Records recording artist is moving full steam ahead. Her single with Brett Young, “Never Til Now” has won fans over with its romance and vulnerability. Today, Cooke drops another new song that fans fell in love with immediately when she teased it on social media. “getting into” is officially out now.

The new song is a songwriting dream. Cooke has a natural talent for flipping phrases and euphemisms on an axis. “getting into” is all about warning a potential love interest of all the weird and quirky things that they are going to eventually find out about you if you choose to be together. Cooke’s honesty and vocals shine on the superb single.

“You’re into the way I take // My whiskey neat // You’re into the face I make // When you say something mean // You’re into the color of my eyes // Into the way I socialize // For your sanity’s sake, you should know some things // I can burn it down be a dive bar closer // Sunday sitting in a pew hungover // I want love, but I don’t know how”

“getting into” might be our favorite song by Cooke so far. She is a natural talent that is primed to go far in this industry. Country music lovers will continue to support her, as her fame skyrockets with each and every new much deserved opportunity.

Ashley Cooke’s new song, “getting into” is out now, August 12th

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

To keep up with Ashley Cooke, follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

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

Here is Ashley Cooke and Brett Young’s song, “Never Til Now” from ‘The Bachelorette’

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Newly signed Big Loud Records artist, Ashley Cooke adds Brett Young on the new rendition of her song “Never Til Now”, out everywhere April 1st. Listen to the track below.

In the weeks since she left our Babes, Booze, and Brunch event in NYC on March 20th, where she performed an acoustic set for us, Ashley Cooke has been making big waves in the country music world.

On the very long list of accomplishments, in a short amount of time, Cooke revealed the news that she signed her first record deal to Big Loud Records / Back Blocks Music. Prior to this deal, Cooke had reached major success as an independent artist, gaining over 30 million streams and reaching a TikTok following of 900K+. Another announcement Cooke was able to share with fans was several tour announcements including dates with Jordan Davis, Cole Swindell, and Brett Young. Then finally came the big reveal that Ashley Cooke would be adding Brett Young to her already popular love song, “Never Til Now”.

“Never Til Now” is written by Ashley Cooke and Matt Roy. The original release of “Never Til Now” is part of Cooke’s debut EP, Already Drank That Beer – Side A, released in August of 2021. The song went viral on TikTok and digital streaming platforms, gaining over 46K+ user-generated videos and over 15 million streams.

The combination of these two artists’ incredible vocals brings the song to an entirely new level. To one where two people’s lives changed in the same way on a night they just so happened to walk into the same bar and prove each other wrong about a kind of love they never thought was possible. This song is about falling in love when you least expect it, and the story is made even more special when two people who were in the same place in life find each other and change everything about what you thought you wanted.

The beautiful track landed Cooke her very first song to go to country radio. If that’s not enough, Cooke received the exciting news that her and Young would be performing the duet on the hit show, ABC’s The Bachelorette. Watch the full performance of “Never Til Now” on Monday, July 18th’s episode of The Bachelorette, here. Learn more about Ashley Cooke and her journey to country music in our spotlight interview, here.

“I never wanted to tap my brakes // I never wanted to settle down // I was always one foot out the door // I never thought about turning around // I never saw myself with a white picket fence dug into the ground // Never Til Now”

Ashley Cooke and Brett Young team up on “Never Til Now,” out now.

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about future Ashley Cooke and Brett Young releases.

To keep up with Ashley Cooke, follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

To keep up with Brett Young, follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

“Never Til Now” is now available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released music here 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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Ashley Cooke and Brett Young Perform “Never Til Now” on The Bachelorette

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Ashley Cooke and Brett Young performed, “Never Til Now” on ABC’s ‘The Bachelorette’ on Monday night, July 18th, during one of the special date nights.

On the heels of releasing the new rendition of their romantic love song “Never Til Now,” Ashley Cooke and Brett Young were invited to perform on ABC’s hit show ‘The Bachelorette.” The original version of the track blew up on Cooke’s social media. When Young was later added to the track, it was clear that the song was something special, even marking Cooke’s first song to country radio.

The singer-songwriter teased that she was about to perform on a huge television show. She later shared that it was going to be “awkward.” Although the performance was flawless and romantic, the date between the show’s lead and a contestant did not go according to plan. Bachelorette, Rachel was seen sending one of her suitors home, while the producers edited the performance around those scenes.

What could have been a super awkward performance as the two serenaded Rachel alone with a love song, instead became a powerful and emotional moment of the show. Watch the full performance here. Learn more about Ashley Cooke and her journey to country music in our spotlight interview here.

“I never wanted to tap my brakes // I never wanted to settle down // I was always one foot out the door // I never thought about turning around // I never saw myself with a white picket fence dug into the ground // Never Til Now”

Ashley Cooke joins a long list of country artists, who performed on The Bachelor and The Bachelorette franchise respectively, including Young, who performed previously. Both Restless Road and Laine Hardy were recent guests on the shows. We wonder who will be next to join the list!

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

To keep up with Ashley Cooke, follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

To keep up with Brett Young, follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

“Never Til Now” 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 Ashley Cooke? The Story Behind Her Journey to Country Music

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

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The Beginning:

This week we are sharing an artist with you that you should already know! Since the very beginning of her young career, we have proudly championed the talented singer-songwriter, Ashley Cooke. Today, we are sharing with you all about her journey, straight from Cooke herself!

“I grew up kind of all over the country, to be honest. I started playing music and writing songs when I was eleven years old,” began Cooke. “In moving around all the time, music was kind of the only constant I ever had.” Although she coins, Parkland, Florida as her ‘hometown,’ the singer’s childhood helped her find her way into music at an early age.

“I started writing songs kind of as a coping mechanism and I loved poetry even as a kid. […] I started writing poems down in journals and really was obsessed with lyrics, and poems, and rhyming and that kind of stuff,” shared Cooke.

Despite her parents not listening to country music when she was young, she knew it was the right fit for her when she discovered it. “Lyrics have always been my passion and my love for music, and honestly that’s kind of how I found myself in country too,” said the singer, adding, ” I really got to find country was, one, through Taylor [Swift], but also through the songwriting and the storytelling that came from that genre.”

Both Swift and Rascal Flatts were some of Cooke’s early influences in the country genre, both inspiring her to write music that made someone feel something.

At eighteen years old, instead of pursuing music, the singer headed to Nashville for a different reason. She attended Belmont University to study communications and marketing, a degree that would later help her in her blossoming career.

The Turning Point:

During her senior year at Belmont, Cooke entered a contest called ‘Country Showcase,’ on a whim. According to the singer, the contest was a huge deal for emerging artists. “It’s like the end of senior year milestone goal, where they choose 4 artists to play, and you play 2 originals and 1 cover song. […] People like Brad Paisley, and Florida Georgia Line, and Chris Young have won this competition.”

Cooke went on to win the competition, catapulting her to focus solely on music immediately upon graduation. Armed with a desire to cut her teeth in Nashville starting in 2019, she found herself without gigs to play, when the pandemic hit in 2020.

Like many of us, Cooke went home to Florida to quarantine with her family. It was then that she discovered a little app called TikTok. “I started posting on TikTok genuinely out of boredom during the pandemic,” shared the singer.

“The first video that I posted was called the ‘lay me down challenge.’ […] I was one of those weird anomalies where my very first video went viral. It got over 2.7 million views, seemingly overnight.”

She spent the rest of quarantine using her degree to really learn the platform and give her new fanbase the music they were all begging for. “For the first time in music history it feels like, labeled artists were on the same playing fields as unsigned artists because we all had the same ways of sharing our music and breaking new songs.”

At the end of the pandemic, as an independent artist, Cooke met her now manager, Rakiyah Marshall, and started releasing music and booking tours that all artists would dream of, including Cole Swindell tour and a Jimmie Allen feature.

Today:

Flash forward to today, Cooke is a newly signed Big Loud Records recording artist! “I only signed my record deal with Big Loud three weeks ago, ” the singer shared at the time of our interview. It is truly incredible how much Cooke has worked hard to accomplish in her young career.

Most recently though, the singer announced that she is going on tour with Brett Young, who is also featured on the new version of her hit, “Never Til Now.” “I wrote the song with my friend Matt Roy, who also has written a bunch of other stuff on my project,” shared Cooke, when asked about the song. “We wrote the song just me and him, powering it out in my living room. He pitched the idea originally, and I was going through a really tough break-up at the time. I was like, ‘honestly, all I want is the kind of love that you are talking about. It just catches you off guard, real, not cheesy, just someone that loves you and is there for you.’”

Originally, Cooke posted a TikTok video of her simply pointing to the romantic lyrics slide by slide. Little did she know, the song would soon go viral and fans everywhere were using the beautiful song as their first dance and wedding song.

Because she always heard a feature on it, Cooke asked her produced Jimmie Robbins, who would be a good fit. He suggested Brett Young, and the rest was history. “I felt like adding another voice to it would really elevate it.”

Cooke’s staying power is only going to increase over the next year and many more to come. She is here to stay and we are proud to have named her a 2022 Artist to Watch. Catch the songstress on tour with Young, as well as, at most major country music festivals this festival season. We also anticipate 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 Ashley Cooke releases.

To keep up with Ashley Cooke, follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Ashley Cooke’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.

Ashley Cooke Collabs with Brett Young on New Rendition of “Never Til Now”

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Newly signed Big Loud Records artist, Ashley Cooke adds Brett Young on the new rendition of her song “Never Til Now”, out now April 1st. Listen to the brand new track below.

In a week of several major announcements for rising star, Ashley Cooke, a collab with Brett Young is only a piece in the puzzle for all of the exciting things happening for the artist right now. Just after she left our Babes, Booze, and Brunch event in NYC on March 20th, Cooke started teasing major news that was coming her way in the next couple of weeks.

First, and perhaps the biggest of the slew of announcements, was the news that Cooke signed her first deal to Big Loud Records / Back Blocks Music, making this new release her first as a signed artist. Prior to this deal, Cooke had reached major success as an independent artist, gaining over 30 million streams and reaching a TikTok following of 900K+. Another announcement Cooke was able to share with fans this week is that she will be joining Jordan Davis on tour beginning in April after she wraps up her run on Cole Swindell’s ‘Down To The Bar Tour’.

On top of all of this, Cooke also revealed that Brett Young would be joining her for a duet on a new rendition of her song “Never Til Now”, written by Cooke and Matt Roy. The original release of “Never Til Now” is part of Cooke’s debut EP, Already Drank That Beer – Side A, released in August of 2021. The song went viral on TikTok and digital streaming platforms, gaining over 46K user-generated videos and over 15 million streams. Therefore, it was only right that Cooke and Young announced their version of the song on TikTok this past Sunday, where they also gave fans a little taste of the new track.

The combination of these two artists’ incredible vocals brings the song to an entirely new level. To one where two people’s lives changed in the same way on a night they just so happened to walk into the same bar and prove each other wrong about a kind of love they never thought was possible. This song is about falling in love when you least expect it, and the story is made even more special when two people who were in the same place in life find each other and change everything about what you thought you wanted.

“I never wanted to tap my brakes // I never wanted to settle down // I was always one foot out the door // I never thought about turning around // I never saw myself with a white picket fence dug into the ground // Never Til Now”

Ashley Cooke and Brett Young team up on “Never Til Now,” out now.

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about future Ashley Cooke and Brett Young releases.

To keep up with Ashley Cooke, follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

To keep up with Brett Young, follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

“Never Til Now” is now available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released music here 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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5 Reasons You Shouldn’t Miss Our Babes, Booze, and Brunch Event

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Our Babes, Booze, and Brunch event is back! Join us on Sunday, March 20th at Refinery Rooftop in Manhattan! Still thinking about purchasing a ticket? Here are 5 reasons you don’t want to miss our brunch below!

1. Ashley Cooke is performing.
Ashley Cooke is one of our favorite rising artists right now! When she hits it big on the charts and starts playing to larger audiences, you can say you were one of the first New York fans to see her perform, up close, and personal at our brunch! Cooke’s music is authentic and relatable. Her debut EP Already Drank That Beer was one of our favorites of 2021. She is a must-see!

2. The DJ will be spinning all our favorite girl-power anthems.
When we are not featuring our live music acts, the DJ will be sure to play all our favorite girl power anthems! From classics like Shania Twain’s “Man! I Feel Like A Woman!” to Beyonce’s “Who Run The World?”, bring your girls and get the party started on the dance floor!

Babes Booze & Brunch

3. Sunshine and a rooftop, do we need to say more?!
Refinery Rooftop is one of the prettiest venues in Manhattan. The stunning rooftop views of the Empire State Building are a perfect spot for your Instagram pictures, and of course, to take in the sun, on what is supposed to be a beautiful 60-degree day! Not to mention, the location is an easy walk from Penn Station, in case you are coming from the train station.

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4. Mimosas, mimosas, mimosas… and bloody marys of course.
We will have a build-your-own mimosa and bloody mary station, as well as, a full bar available. Every ticket even comes with a complimentary mimosa and VIP tickets include a 2-hour open bar! The byo mimosa & bloody mary stations are always a hit at our event, and it is sure to be this year too!

5. Be part of a day celebrating and empowering women.
Most importantly, be a part of the movement in country music. Come to the brunch, and support a rising female country artist, a female-run business, and of course, each other! Take pictures with your friends in our photobooth or come solo, and make some new friends! Together, we can dance like no one’s watching to all different types of music, have fun, and celebrate the strength of being a woman!

Find tickets for our event here. We will see you there!

Country Swag Reveals 2022 Artists to Watch

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Introducing our 2022 Country Artists to Watch!

Over the past 6+ years of Country Swag, we have always loved to support rising artists and introduce our followers to the best new music in the genre. Since our first Artists to Watch list back in 2017, we have pinned rising stars like Luke Combs, Brett Young, Russell Dickerson, Walker Hayes, HARDY, Gabby Barrett, and more. Each year we choose ten new artists that we believe are destined for killer careers, our only rule when choosing is the artist can NOT already have a number one song.

Check out our picks in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2o2o and 2021, before checking out the 10 artists we picked to have a huge 2022 below.

CONNER SMITH –

Listen: “I Hate Alabama”
Stay Connected: @ConnerSmithMusic

When we think 2022, we think CONNER SMITH. We were first introduced to this talented singer-songwriter in early 2021 when he joined us in New York City to film an acoustic session and interview. As Smith performed for our crew, it was obvious that everyone in the room could feel the magic from this talented artist. Just a few weeks later, after an overwhelming fan response to an unreleased song “I Hate Alabama” prompted Smith to officially release the track, the artist found himself in headlines everywhere. Barely 24 hours after it’s official drop, the Alabama Crimson Tide football team notoriously lost their game after a 19-week winning streak. Coincidence?

Conner Smith is destined to be a name stay in country music. His debut EP Didn’t Go Too Far is due out January 14th and fans can catch him on the road in early 2022 with Ryan Hurd.

 

ALANA SPRINGSTEEN –

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Listen: “Zero Trucks”
Stay Connected: @AlanaSpringsteen

We first became familiar with Alana Springsteen with the release of “Think About You”, a relatable and catchy song put out to country radio with Curb Records’ artist, Filmore back in 2020. Continuing to impress with each new release, the 21-year-old officially dropped her studio debut EP, History of Breaking Up (Part 1) in September 2021. The project truly showcases her beautiful vocals and honest and raw songwriting. Paired with an infectious stage presence, Springsteen was an easy contender for our 2022 watch list.

 

DREW GREEN –

Listen: “She Got That”
Stay Connected: @DrewGreen

Drew Green is a standout artist as the Tennessee native continues to blend genre lines making a one-of-a-kind sound uniquely his own. With hints of country, trap, and rap in his music, paired with his honest approach to songwriting and compelling storytelling, there is a song for everyone in this newcomer’s catalog. Check out his latest project, Dirt Boy Vol. 2 here.

 

BRELAND –

Listen: “Cross Country”
Stay Connected: @Breland

Breland is indisputably an artist to pay attention to and the Jersey native has quite the collection of collaborations that serve as a testament to the music community’s appreciation for his undeniable talent. Songs like “My Truck” ft. Sam Hunt, “Throw It Back” ft. Keith Urban, Nelly’s “High Horse” ft. Breland + Blanco Brown, are just a few standout tracks with Breland’s name attached. However, his highly personal, yet relatable single, “Cross Country” is what helps us get to know the rising star. Cultivating a sound of his own matched with his infectious personality and energetic stage presence makes Breland a must-see act. Catch him on the road in 2022 with Russell Dickerson on the All Yours, All Night Tour.

 

ASHLEY COOKE –

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Listen: “Never Til Now”
Stay Connected: @TheAshleyCooke

After having viral success on TikTok, Ashley Cooke has racked up millions of fans over the last nearly two years. The talented singer-songwriter was not only able to land the attention of new fans on the popular social app, but she was able to keep them. With each new music release she continues to impress with her heartfelt vulnerability in her lyrics and captivating vocals. Get to know Ashley Cooke with her debut EP, Already Drank That Beer – Side A here.

 

WARREN ZEIDERS –

Listen: “Ride The Lightning”
Stay Connected: @WarrenZeiders

Warren Zeiders’ gritty vocals meshed with his own unique blend of country music and southern rock influences sets him apart from the pool of rising acts in the country music world. His lead single, “Ride the Lightning”, penned by himself along with Eric Paslay and Rob Crosby, will stop you in your tracks and have any listener captivated beginning to end. A Warren Zeiders x Morgan Wallen collab is a thought we’d like to put into the universe.

 

MORGAN WADE –

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Listen: “Wilder Days”
Stay Connected: @MorganWadeMusic

Perhaps the most buzzed about artist of 2021, Morgan Wade is a name that will be around for years to come. Breaking out onto the scene with her debut project, Reckless, Wade delivers real, raw, and authentic lyrics in her music. The rising star can be found on the road with Luke Combs in 2022, a coveted spot that is sure to help even further boost her fanbase. Wade continues to stun on her latest release, “Run”, listen here.

 

CHAYCE BECKHAM –

Listen: “23 – Steel Mix”
Stay Connected: @ChayceBeckhamMusic

Chayce Beckham won the hearts of fans everywhere during his run on Season 21 of American Idol. The singer stunned throughout the series, ultimately claiming the winning title. The popular singing competition helped introduce fans to Beckham’s incredible tone and talent. After performing his own deeply personal song “23”, which he independently wrote, Beckham released the track and instantly saw it hit #1 on iTunes charts. Recently, the singer-songwriter teamed up with label-mate, Lindsay Ell for a brand new high-energy song, “Can’t Do Without Me” Listen here.

 

ERIN KINSEY –

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Listen: “Just Drive”
Stay Connected: @ErinKinseyTX

We first met Erin Kinsey this past fall when she joined us in New York City for an acoustic session and interview. Her positive and contagious energy is what got our attention, but her incredible vocal skills matched with her catchy and relatable lyrics are what kept us wanting more. The Texas native certainly has a bright future. Get to know the singer-songwriter in our spotlight interview here.

 

LARRY FLEET –

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Listen: “Different Shade of Red”
Stay Connected: @LarryFleet

Larry Fleet’s debut single “Where I Find God” left us awestruck upon first listen and in high anticipation for a full-length project. Delivering 14 tracks, all in-which he had a hand in writing, on his debut album Stack of Records, Larry Fleet lived up to the hype. A combination of honest lyrics, staggering vocals, and country grit make Larry Fleet an artist to watch. Catch him on the road in 2022 with Morgan Wallen on The Dangerous Tour.

Like what you hear? Give a follow to our 2022 Artists to Watch Playlist here.

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

Check out the latest tunes in country music on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.