Scroll through Wheeler Walker Jr.’s catalogue and you might notice he’s not one for collabs. That’s because he tried one once with Maren Morris, and it turned out to be a “f***ing headache” … his words.
The “F**k This Job” singer recently stopped by the Whiskey Riff Raff podcast and broke down why now is the right time for him to release his final album – Pullin’ Out – and retire (with all of the AI and algorithms running rampant and what not), why he wouldn’t mind having his own bar on Broadway just to tick people off, and how he views his music as truth telling while everyone else in the industry tip toes around what they really want to say.
Walker Jr. also gave quite the warning to Florida Georgia Line and their comeback, discussed how he prioritizes making country music and not “laptop music,” how fitting he believes it is that he’ll play his final show at the Ryman Auditorium, and why he doesn’t mess with collaborations anymore.
For one, he’s Wheeler Walker Jr., and that’s the only explanation necessary. Who else really needs to be on a song if Wheeler is on it, you know? That’s at least how he put it when we asked why he doesn’t tend to feature other artists on his albums:
“F*** that, this is my time. I don’t want to share the stage with anybody. That’s what being an artist is, is being f***ing greedy. This is my time. I don’t like and I don’t need to share your fans. I’ve got my own fans. I don’t need to collab with someone.”
Fair enough.
But there’s actually another reason why the country music artist avoids collabs: He’s been burnt in the past. Walker Jr. has only ever had one collab featured on his album, and that was “F****n’ Around (feat. Kacey Walker)” off of his 2017 record Ol’ Wheeler.
Credit to Kacey Walker (A.K.A. Nikki Lane) for stepping in and singing on it. Though she sounded great on the track, it was originally supposed to be… Maren Morris…. as Wheeler’s duet partner. Can you imagine Maren singing with Wheeler Walker Jr. in 2026?
Sony initially signed off on the collaboration, but then got cold feet once the album was already in print:
“I did one duet years ago, which was fun, but it turned out to be a f***ing headache. So I don’t want to do it… Maren Morris sang on it, and then the album was in print, and she f***ing pulled out. Speaking of ‘Pullin’ Out…’
And it cost me a lot of money. Sony was going to pay me back and they never f***ing did, which f***ing still pisses me off.”
No other way to put it… that sucks.
Understandably, Wheeler Walker Jr. wasn’t one for collabs after all of that. It’s something that still gets him revved up in all the wrong ways when he thinks about it:
“After that song came out, I thought it was good duet. But after that, I was like, ‘These people are such p****** I don’t want to deal with this bulls**t.’
It became too much s**t with like ‘Sony doesn’t want their hot, new artist on your f***ing filth.’ Then f***ing get off of it, I don’t give a f***.”
@whiskeyriff #whiskeyriff #whiskeyriffraff #wheelerwalkerjr #marrenmorris ♬ original sound – Whiskey Riff
And while it’s not an official studio collaboration, Wheeler did take the stage with Sturgill Simpson AND Tyler Childers at Hinterland Festival in 2018.
Some have called it the greatest live performance in country music history…
You can hear about all of that and a whole lot more from Wheeler Walker Jr. by checking out the interview on YouTube or making sure to download the podcast on Apple Podcasts by searching “Whiskey Riff Raff” or by clicking here.
We’re also available on Spotify and wherever else you can listen to podcasts.
Cheers, y’all.
