Oh, here we go…
The time has come for Brian Kelley, who is the “Florida” half of Florida Georgia Line, to spread his wings and fly.
Announced today, the Tyler Hubbard sidekick will partner his solo label, “Nashville South Records,” with Warner Music Nashville to produce a solo record.
“I couldn’t be more grateful for everyone who has helped me on my journey to get here. I’m humbled to team up with Warner Music Nashville to take the music I’ve been dreamin’ and schemin’ up to the next level.
This is just the beginning of a whole new adventure. My vision for what’s next is a vibe and state of mind… get ready to ride the wave with ya Beach Cowboy, y’all!”
Beach Cowboy?
If you’re not sure what that means either, here’s a teaser…
Warner Music Nashville EVP A&R Cris Lacy had this to say about the new partnership:
“We are honored that Brian Kelley chose WMN as home to his solo endeavors. I’ve been an FGL believer from day one, and BK’s clear vision for himself and his upcoming project is a testament to his heart, soul, and talent. His new music is the perfect antidote to 2020, and what an incredible way to start 2021!”
I’m sure this moment has been a longtime coming for Kelley, who’s kinda been the background guy for Tyler Hubbard his whole career with FGL. He just sings a couple lines of each song (if he’s lucky), and then goes right back to dancing next to Tyler Hubbard.
And keep in mind, this announcement also comes on the heels of a publicized (thanks to us) Presidential Election spat between the longtime duo that resulted in Tyler Hubbard and his wife unfollowing Brian and his wife on social media. And while they said they weren’t breaking up, Tyler did admit to unfollowing them over their political beliefs and that they wanted to try doing their own thing.
(Also, Brian Kelley’s wife tried (and failed) to have her fans come after Steve’s family over a funny meme we made, but that’s another story…)
So believe me, my expectations are low, especially after he described his new music as a “vibe and state of mind” and “get ready to ride the wave with ya Beach Cowboy” (I hated every second of that quote, not gonna lie). But as always here at Whiskey Riff, we’re gonna give the guy a fair shot. And I hope he surprises me… I really do. The more good music the better. I just won’t hold my breath for the “Beach Cowboy.”
Now, if you’re trying to have your day ruined, checkout this less than stellar live performance of BK and Tyler trying to be hip-hop artists and singing “Swerve.”
