Riley Green is establishing himself as a country music icon in the United States, and he owes much of it to a song in the form of a tribute to his grandparents that has touched the hearts of millions.
In the song, Riley Green, a Southern boy with conservative values, rattles off a list of wishes—that kids learn to say sir and ma’am, and that coolers never run out of Bud Light, for example—before rattling off one that seems most dear to him: that his grandpas never die.
In Zoom interview with The newspaper A few weeks before his participation in the Lotbinière Country Festival, the 35-year-old American specifies that this song is really a tribute to his own grandfathers.
“I didn’t think it would become a hit. It’s a song I wrote for myself, but people got into it quickly. Even before I recorded it, they were singing the lyrics during my concerts […]”I’ve had number one songs since then, but this remains one of my most important,” he says.
A traditional one
The Alabama artist has since released another album, Ain’t My Last Rodeo (2003), and a mini-album, Way Out Herelast April. Currently, it is thanks to the love song You Look Like Love To Mewhere he plays opposite Ella Langley in conversation mode, that you are most likely to see his name in the charts.
“I like the traditional sound of this song. The verses and the discussion are very old school” he said.
This answer perfectly sums up Riley Green’s artistic approach. The new countrywith its flirtation with pop, is not for someone who claims to be inspired by legends from another era like Merle Haggard or George Jones.
“Traditional country seems to be coming back,” he says. “This music is constantly evolving, but it’s always going to tell stories. That’s its trademark.”
Learn from the best
Riley Green is no stranger to Quebecers. In November 2022, he opened for Luke Combs when the latter sold out the Videotron Centre and the Bell Centre.
In fact, in recent years, Green has had the chance to tour with other big names like Morgan Wallen, Brad Paisley, Luke Bryan, Dierks Bentley and Jason Aldean.
He says he learned a lot from them, especially how to combat the monotony that can set in when you do the same songs several times a week.
“It’s a challenge for me, but you have to remember that there’s always someone who’s hearing you for the first time, so you have to put the same energy into it and try to win new fans at every concert.”
- Riley Green performing at the Lotbinière Country Festival on August 24.
