Robert Counts re-released his debut radio single “What Do I Know” with HARDY, available now March 5th on all streaming platforms. Take a look below as we dig a little deeper into the track.
Back in December, we introduced you to one of Sony Music Nashville’s newest singer-songwriters, Robert Counts, in one of our Swag Spotlight features. The budding musician had just released his debut single, “What Do I Know” to country radio, a song he wrote with one of our favorites, HARDY, and the talented, Jake Mitchell. Today, Counts and his label are re-releasing the jam this time and shaking things up a bit by adding HARDY to the song.
“What Do I Know” is one of those songs that you just know is meant for radio. Counts came out swinging with this tune, introducing fans to his country roots and his knack for songwriting. Of course, it is obvious that HARDY had a hand in the songwriting. Similar to HARDY’s songs “UNAPOLOGETICALLY COUNTRY AS HELL” and “WHERE YA AT” off of his debut album A ROCK, “What Do I Know” is just an extension of his songwriting genius.
“Say what you think / Think ‘fore you speak / Don’t kill nothin’ that you ain’t gonna eat / You learn from the dirt what the street can’t teach / That backward philosophy / Hell, it still means a lot to me / But what do I know?”
Robert Count’s “What Do I Know” ft. HARDY is available everywhere now, March 5th
The twosome take turns singing the verses before they jam out together on the last chorus. In a post on Instagram, Counts shares “This song is really about how some of the simplest pieces of advice you get growing up, especially as a kid in the south, tend to stand the test of time and be pretty solid words to live by even as an adult.”
We’d say that that is a pretty good summary of all that the song has to offer. Congrats to Counts and HARDY on the awesome tune!
Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about future Robert Counts and HARDY releases.
“What Do I Know” 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.
https://countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/what-do-i-know-robert.jpg6301200Erica Zismanhttp://countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/logo-new-cs-white.pngErica Zisman2021-03-05 01:10:382021-03-05 01:10:38Robert Counts Releases “What Do I Know” Featuring HARDY
Who Is Robert Counts? Talented new country Sony Nashville recording artist, whose debut single “What Do I Know” is working its way up the charts.
Robert Counts – Photo Credit – Sean McGee
Sony Music Nashville is full of exciting new singer-songwriters for fans to fall in love with! This week’s Swag Spotlight artist, Robert Counts is no exception. He’s a true-blue country artist with a country-rock sound, a gritty vibe, and a powerful knack for songwriting. We got a chance to interview the rising artist and learn more about his path to country music.
Growing up in Franklin, Tennessee, a town just outside of Nashville, Counts recalls being introduced to music through his faith. “I first started playing music in my church. That’s kind of where I started taking guitar lessons,” he recalls, sharing his experience playing in his church’s contemporary band throughout his childhood.
At that point, music was just a hobby for the budding musician. “As a kid, I was a thinker,” he shared, adding, “I liked more contemporary music like John Mayer, Jason Isbell, stuff like indie-rock […] anything with a lyric was what I was drawn to.” Counts spent his younger years learning rifts on the guitar and being mesmerized by the story-telling aspect of country music, as well as, more contemporary artists.
Some of his most profound musical influences can be traced back to his parents. “My mom was a big fan of Travis Tritt and Alan Jackson,” he shared, “Coincidentally now, two of my favorite country artists of all times- they’re storytellers.” Counts also shared a liking of midwestern rock artists like Bob Segar and Bruce Springsteen. The connecting thread though was always about the ability to craft an exceptional lyric.
Despite obvious pure talent, Counts decided to pursue a different path, heading to college and obtaining a degree in biochemistry, with dreams of being a surgeon. After graduation, he decided to take a gap year to study for the MCATS; however, that was when the trajectory of his future was flipped on its axis.
“I entered a few songs that I thought were good,” he recalls, talking about a songwriting contest at Puckett’s, “…and I ended up winning the whole thing.” The contest led him to his first publishing deal. “I learned about the industry. I learned how publishing works. I honed my craft as far as songwriting a little bit. Got in, met some people, and I just fell in love with it, he shared.”
Since then, Counts has been dedicated to honing his craft. With some convincing from supportive people in his life, the songwriter pivoted again, deciding to focus on becoming an artist in his own right.
Now as a signed recording artist, Counts is garnering a fanbase that respects his love of country music, his knowledge of the industry, and of course his impressive vocals. His debut radio single, “What Do I Know,” written by the singer with HARDY and Jake Mitchell, is currently climbing the charts. “We got that idea and we were like what about southern advice, stuff your dad tells you growing up, things you hear,” Counts recalls, thinking about the co-write with HARDY and Mitchell from back in 2018.
Although Counts knew then that the song was good, it took two years for the singer to finally decide to release it as his debut single. “For my debut single to radio, I wanted to be something that really came out swinging and left nothing to question,” adding, You know who I am. I am a guy whose southern, works hard, I’m normal every day, every man, just living his life by honest truth. And I think that’s what that song says.” We couldn’t agree more!
As 2020 comes to a close, fans can anticipate more music heading down the pipeline early next year. Counts also promises to get back on the road to play live shows again as soon as it is safe. Stay tuned for more from the singer-songwriter!
Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about future Robert Counts releases.
“What Do I Know” 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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https://countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/robert-counts-music.jpg6301200Erica Zismanhttp://countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/logo-new-cs-white.pngErica Zisman2020-12-21 14:41:142021-03-04 22:07:09Who Is Robert Counts? The Story Behind His Journey to Country Music
On Monday night, Sony Music Nashville and booking agency WME teamed up to present “A Celebration of Women’s History Month,” a night benefitting She Is The Music, a non-profit organization that focuses on increasing the number of women in music and gender equality in the industry. The night’s spotlight artists were Carlton Anderson, Rachel Wammack, Seaforth, Robert Counts, and Hannah Dasher; some of Sony’s newest artists on the roster. And hosting the night were beloved media personalities and journalists, Hunter Kelly and Ashley Eicher, the duo behind the All Our Favorite People Podcast.
WME booking agent, Carrie Murphy, was invited to start off the night by introducing the crowd to what She Is The Music was, and how the organization creates a platform for women to hone their craft and be supported on their journey in the music industry. “Girls can’t be what they can’t see,” shared Murphy.
The night took us on a chronological musical journey through country music’s finest women’s hits through the decades, from the 1960s all the way to 2010. Kelly and Eicher not only hosted the night but provided valuable summarized facts on social issues and the songs’ commercial success in each focused era.
Robert Counts
Kicking the night off was Robert Counts, who covered Loretta Lynn’s hit song, “You Ain’t Woman Enough To Take My Man,” that was originally recorded in 1965. “This might get weird…I feel weird,” joked Counts before he sang. “[Loretta] taught me a lot about songwriting. She has done a lot for my career [and] is a huge influence.”
Up next they focused on the 1970s, a time period where the feminist movement took place. In fact, because of the inundation of this movement, TIME awarded its “Man of the Year” award to “American Women” in 1975. Covering Dolly Parton’s second single and one of Rolling Stone’s “500 Greatest Songs of All Time” was Rachel Wammack and Seaforth. The soaring harmonies from both acts almost gave “Jolene” a hauntingly different version that’s been never heard before.
Hannah Dasher
The 1980s was a time when women were not getting fair wages, and part of the movement against inequality was Parton’s “9 to 5,” which was featured on the movie of the same title. The movie aptly depicted the social circumstances women were in the and workforce of that era. Hannah Dasher lent her voice to a rocking, feet-tapping cover of it.
Still keeping it in the 80s, Carlton Anderson came up on stage to pay tribute to Barbara Mandrell and her song that became a hit at the height of the urban cowboy craze, or as Kelly jokingly called it, “the early version of bro-country.” Anderson, the most traditional country-leaning act of the night, undeniably shined in his element as he sang Mandrell’s 1981 hit song, “I Was Country When Country Wasn’t Cool.”
Carlton Anderson
The next half of the night transitioned to the beloved 1990s onwards, and it was that era that saw a promising record number of women elected into congress. Dasher returned on stage to cover Reba’s “You Lie,” with Big Machine Record’s Dan Smalley, who she introduced as “the closest thing to Vince Gill.” Following their performance was Anderson, who came back with his rendition of Patty Loveless’ “You Don’t Know Who I Am.” “I grew up listening to this song. […] When you figure out what it’s really about, it kinda hits you in the chest, and I think that’s the beauty of this genre.”
Perhaps two of the biggest highlights of the night were both from Wammack. The Muscle Shoals, Alabama native shared how several people told her when she first moved to Nashville that she “sounded like Deana Carter when [she] spoke.” Wammack played the keys and sang two of country’s timeless ballads of the 90s: Carter’s “Strawberry Wine” and LeAnn Rimes’ “How Do I Live Without You.” Introducing the latter song, Kelly shared the history of its release, and how two of country’s women, Rimes and Trisha Yearwood, both had released the single at the same time. Unsurprisingly, the 23-year-old really captivated the crowd as soon as she started playing.
Seaforth
One of our 2019 Artists to Watch, Seaforth’s Mitch Thompson and Tom Jordan were back, and gave a refreshing cover of Shania Twain’s 1997 hit, “You’re Still The One.” Again, the duo’s harmonies packed a punch and proved why they’re Nashville’s next biggest Australia transplants in country music.
Closing the nostalgia-filled night was Counts, whose unique and raspy delivery invigorated the wistfulness of Miranda Lambert’s first number one song and her fastest-rising single to date, “The House That Built Me.”
What a night that took everyone a trip down memory lane, visiting decades of iconic hit songs from trail-blazing women in country music! If there’s one thing we’re hoping for after the show, it’s that somehow, these young acts record each of their spins on the songs they covered and share it with the world. One thing’s for certain: Sony’s newest exceptionally-talented class of acts are here to stay.
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Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC!
Subscribe to our Weekly Round-Up here
for ticket giveaways, meet & greet contests, upcoming events,
and all things country music in the New York metro area and beyond!
https://countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/SheIsTheMusic.jpg288480Jeremy Chuahttp://countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/logo-new-cs-white.pngJeremy Chua2019-03-12 21:23:522019-03-12 21:23:52WME & Sony Music Nashville Present: A Celebration of Women’s History Month
