Parker McCollum & His Hollywood Gold

Country radio’s rising star Parker McCollum dropped an EP titled Hollywood Gold. The album features songs such as “Like a Cowboy,” which was co-written by Chris Stapleton, and “Pretty Heart,” which was previously released along with “Young Man’s Blues.” McCollum spoke about how “Young Man’s Blues” was his favorite track off the record: “On every record I've written, especially this one, it seems as though I'll write them about what I've gone through, but it always turns out that the songs are even more relevant years later. With ‘Young Man’s Blues,’ it’s even harder now to admit that I'm still kind of feeling what I felt when I wrote it, and I wish I could move past it, but I think I was the most honest I was on the record.” 

Although McCollum typically writes about heartbreak, Hollywood Gold features emotions of all kinds that are raw and honest. “When I write records, it really takes like hold of my mind and I care a lot about trying not to write a song that doesn't feel real or honest. I want people to believe it whether they like it or not. If my audience could take away anything from this record, I would hope it would be a sense of honesty.” The honesty that McCollum speaks of comes through in this new EP as he remains true to the authentic songwriting he has had with past songs.

As an up-and-coming country musician, McCollum admires and is inspired by country artists and musicians that are sincere and gifted. One artist that he speaks highly of in particular is George Strait. “George Strait is always somebody that has so many songs that fit the seasons’ change, which is something I'm always trying to do. I find what I'm most inspired by is music and the records that I listened to when I was younger because it’s the stuff that got me into songwriting.”

This is only the beginning for Parker McCollum and his honest, emotional songwriting, and we look forward to what is next for this rising star.

Hollywood Gold is out now.

- Hannah Ackles, DJ