Alan Jackson is a great role model to have as a country artist.
That probably explains why Riley Green has been having such a meteoric rise as of late. Anytime you put a country music great like Alan Jackson up on a pedestal and aim to be more like him, you’re bound to have some success.
The 36-year-old country artist sat down with Billboard and discussed some of his recent high point, like he and Ella Langley’s hit “You Look Like You Love Me.” In the interview, Green talked a lot about his songwriting, and doing his best to give nods to traditional country music.
He then came out and blatantly said that he aspired to write much of his own music because that’s how the living legend named Alan Jackson always did things, and prides himself in making complete albums because that’s what he always enjoyed about artists of yesteryear:
“Alan wrote a lot of his own songs. I’ve co-written with some great writers and have had some big hits from co-writes and I’ve never stopped co-writing, but there’s also something authentic about writing a song by yourself.
I think you perform those songs a little different, maybe. I grew up listening to CDs and listening to ’em top to bottom, so I want to always make my albums an experience to listen to.”
Green’s most recent album, Don’t Mind If I Do, included a number of songs that he wrote solo. One that stood out to him was the track “Jesus Saves,” which told the unfortunate story of a veteran who finds themselves living on the side of the road.
As Riley put it, the song made him feel through emotions, which is a goal that the singer-songwriter has when penning new songs:
“I just remember that with that song after I wrote it, when I listened back to it, I felt something from it. I was the same way when I wrote ‘I Wish Grandpas Never Died’ and listened back for the first time. It choked me up a little bit.
So, there’s always something special about songs that can do that. When fans feel that same way, it’s motivating and makes you want to continue to write those kinds of songs.”
It’s good to know that the country music industry is still rewarding artists for doing things the right way. Riley Green is certainly one of those the bright points in up-and-coming country music, and if you for some reason need convincing, just take a listen to “Jesus Saves” below:
