Colby Acuff is the country outsider leading a revolution that is anything but quiet. We sat down with the Idahoan singer-songwriter in the basement of The Intersection in Grand Rapids, Michigan to talk about his headlining tour, his upcoming record, and why he is doing everything opposite this year.

Colby just wrapped up a Whiskey Riff March Madness run where he beat Chris Stapleton and Turnpike Troubadours to take the whole thing. He is playing a ton of unreleased music on this tour, leaning into a Southern rock and country rock sound that pulls from CCR, Waylon, Willie, and Bob Seger. The new record was solo written, recorded raw with no vocal tuning, and Colby calls the next single his favorite song on the entire project.

We also got into the art direction behind the new era, why he packages serious messages in comedy, the iPhone he passes into the crowd every night so fans can shoot the show, and what it means to find your own measurements of success when you are not chasing the mainstream.

New music drops at the end of April.

Presented by Country Minute.

James sits down with 2025 Country Minute Rookie of the Year Zach John King backstage at the Blue Gate in Shipshewana, Indiana. Zach opens up about joining Thomas Rhett on the road this fall, the headlining run he's been low-key teasing, and why ticket sales are the only metric that really matters to him. He also breaks news on back-to-back releases coming in just a few weeks, including a Harry Styles cover that was previously Amazon-exclusive. Plus, his honest take on TikTok, balancing the grind with keeping his band's morale intact, and what it looks like to build a catalog that doesn't put fans in a box.Subscribe for more country music interviews, festival coverage, and artist stories every week.#ZachJohnKing #countrymusic #CountryMinute

Gavin Adcock joins Country Minute backstage at US Bank Stadium before night two of Morgan Wallen's Still The Problem tour. Gavin walks us through the debut of his new song Wannabe, his plan to release new music every three weeks, and the next album taking shape. He previews his first arena headlining tour with a 25-foot longhorn stage piece and a drum riser that puts his drummer 15 feet in the air, teases Country Never Dies II, recaps his sold-out Australian run at CMC Rocks, and tells the story behind the caddy suits he and Vincent Mason wore on stage in Minneapolis.

Recorded on location in Minneapolis.

Graham Barham joins us backstage at The Intersection in Grand Rapids on the final run of the Whiskey Rain Tour to talk about everything happening in his world right now.

From the release of his new single “Break Up (Down)” to the viral success of “Country Music,” Graham opens up about blending country with club energy, paying homage to artists like Sam Hunt and Florida Georgia Line, and why now felt like the right moment to drop this next phase of his sound.

We also get into his songwriting success behind the scenes, including cuts with artists like Blake Shelton and Dierks Bentley, plus the story behind “Broken Branches.”

Recorded live at the historic Michigan Theatre in Ann Arbor, James sits down with Bear Rinehart of NEEDTOBREATHE for an honest and reflective conversation ahead of the band’s acoustic tour stop.

Bear opens up about why the acoustic shows hit differently, how sitting down on stage changes the energy, and why longtime fans are finally getting to hear songs they’ve been waiting on for years. The two also dive deep into the meaning behind the upcoming album The Long Surrender, a record born out of personal loss, frustration in the studio, fatherhood, faith, and the humbling realization that some things in life simply can’t be controlled.

From the vulnerability behind writing “The Long Surrender” in a moment of prayer, to the story of recording in Savannah with producer Dave Cobb, Bear shares how this season of the band feels different — more present, more stripped back, and more open to spontaneity on the road.

It’s a conversation about surrender, songwriting, and what happens when the music takes on a life of its own in the hands of fans.

If you’ve ever had a NEEDTOBREATHE song become part of your story, this one’s for you.

Josh Meloy has been on my list of artists who could easily take the world by storm given the right opportunity since at least 2022. The Oklahoma native has a knack for deeply personal songwriting and a voice you cannot shake. He spent 2025 releasing a string of singles as opposed to a traditional project, and he's headed into the new year with similar plans. In this conversation, which we recorded at The Intersection in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Josh talks about his ever-evolving approach to promotion as an independent artist. He details how a team of about seven people make everything happen, including how they look to the future and set goals. If you are curious about how country looks and feels outside the label world, this is definitely the conversation for you. Josh is touring this spring with plans to release new music soon. Until then, stream "Bad Habits" when you have a chance.

We last saw Bayker Blankenship in November 2024 at a small festival in Arizona. We were both hundreds of miles from home and unsure of how to adjust to the simmering Southwest heat. He was performing solo at the time, and truth be told, he was one of the first people kind enough to give us time on camera.

Fast forward 50 weeks and we reconnected with Bayker Blankenship after our friends at Peanut Patch Boiled Peanuts invited us to the Greenville Country Music Festival. Bayker and his band had just completed a 19-hour drive from Texas, but that didn't stop him from taking a few minutes to discuss his the past year and how he feels about the future.

In this brief conversation, Bayker and I dig into what it means to be a young artist today. Bayker now has a band, and together they've traveled the world honing a sound that still feels very raw in the best possible way. He spoke of collaborations, like the one he has with Zach John King earlier in 2025, as well as the inspiration he finds in his current relationship.

If you ask me, Bayker Blankenship is the future of country music. He's a true storyteller putting in the work needed to build a strong, lasting career in music. This conversation may be short, but it inspired me to work a little harder. Maybe it'll do the same for you.

Lauren Watkins is redefining what it means to be an artist in country music today. Her new album, In A Perfect World, captures the kind of honesty and confidence that make listeners feel like they’ve known her for years.

In this episode of the Country Minute Podcast, we sit down with Watkins to talk about the record and what it’s like growing up inside the genre she loves. Country music has always been full of characters and familiar stories, but Watkins is carving her own lane by writing about real life.

Whether it’s buying a mailbox at Home Depot with your spouse or realizing that nobody is coming to save you, she finds meaning in the moments most people overlook. With a group of incredible songwriters helping lift her already powerful voice, In A Perfect World feels like one of the most important albums of 2025. It’s the kind of record that will stick with you long after the last note fades.

Zach John King is our Rookie Of The Year for 2025. Hailing from small town Georgia, ZJK kicked off the year with his infectious single "Slow Down" and proceeded to do the exact opposite. In the last ten months he's released a string of viral singles, as well as a successful EP. He also supported Morgan Wallen, Luke Bryan, Dylan Scott, and Gavin Adcock on various tours, not to mention appearing at many of the genre's biggest festivals. We have not met a single person that isn't rooting for this guy to hit it big, and with songs like "Space" that spotlight doesn't seem too far away.

We sat down with Zach John King in Kalamazoo, Michigan in early October while he was on the 'Easy Does It' tour with Dylan Scott. Zach told us about his wild year, from finally getting noticed to trying to keep his head above water, and we end with a brief discussion about what the new year might hold.

Zach John King will be supporting Morgan Wallen on his 2026 'Still The Problem' tour. Follow Country Minute across social media for all things country music.

I sat with Parker on his bus at the first-ever Tanglefoot Music Festival in Temple, Texas to talk about his new self-titled album, songwriting, John Prine, and becoming a dad. We dig into the making of the record, why recording in New York with producer Frank Liddell reset his process, and how that focus shaped his best work yet. Parker also explains why he won’t turn fatherhood into “content,” and what it would take for a song about his son to earn a place on an album.We swap favorite John Prine cuts, look ahead at shows, and even laugh about lawns and deer season. Don’t miss this one.

Highlights

-Why the self-titled album is a creative reset

-Songwriting talk and John Prine

-Fatherhood, privacy, and art

-Touring updates and New Year’s Eve at Dickies Arena

If you enjoy it, like, comment, and subscribe so we can keep bringing you conversations with country’s biggest names.