Parker McCollum‘s so into his new record, it reminds him of the music he loved when he was a teen.
“Fifteen-, 16-year-old Parker, if he was listening to this record while hauling a** to his grandparents’ barn on a Friday afternoon after school, he would have thought of that guy the way that I thought of [Cross Canadian] Ragweed the first time I ever heard ’17,'” Parker says.
“Or Randy Rogers, the first time I ever heard Rollercoaster or Turnpike [Troubadours], the first time I ever heard Diamonds & Gasoline,” he continues. “Or the first time I ever heard Ryan Bingham’s Mescalito and Roadhouse Sun.”
Parker’s quick to point out he’s not bragging on himself, he’s just pleased to have found this level of authenticity.
“Not to say that this record is even remotely close to as good as any of those, but it is the best thing I’ve ever done,” he says. “This record is honest, this record is raw, this record is 1000% authentic Parker. And it feels really good to be able to get back to writing and recording songs like I always wanted to.”
The self-titled Parker McCollum, his fifth album, is set to arrive June 27. It features his current hit, “What Kinda Man.”
Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
