Parker McCollum
Parker Yancey McCollum (born June 15, 1992)[4] is an American Americana and country singer-songwriter based in Texas. The owner of PYM Music, he released his first single and EP in 2013;[5] his debut album The Limestone Kid was released on February 24, 2015.[6] The Austin Chronicle gave the release 3.5/5 stars, writing that "it's too early to declare The Limestone Kid debut of the year, but it's already one to beat", and comparing McCollum's music to Charlie Robison's.[2] McCollum and his backing band announced a 2015 tour[6] of Texas in support of the album,[4] performing at events such as RedGorilla Music Fest.[7] McCollum released the EP Probably Wrong: Session One on July 7, 2017, and followed it with Probably Wrong: Session Two on September 8, 2017. The full Probably Wrong album was released on November 10, 2017. His major-label debut album Gold Chain Cowboy was released July 30, 2021.
Parker McCollum
Parker Yancey McCollum
June 15, 1992
Conroe, Texas, U.S.
Austin, Texas, U.S.[1]
- Singer-songwriter
- musician
- Guitar
- harmonica
- vocals
2013–present
- PYM Music
- MCA Nashville
Early life[edit]
Parker McCollum was born in 1992[4] and raised in Conroe, Texas near Houston.[4] Early in his life he listened to classic country musicians such as Willie Nelson, Buck Owens, and Porter Wagoner,[4] and his family introduced him to red dirt musicians such as Cross Canadian Ragweed, Pat Green, and Chris Knight.[5] Working summers on a cattle ranch with his grandfather,[8] McCollum was further exposed to artists such as Bob Dylan, Townes Van Zandt, and Steve Earle.[5] McCollum has referred to neotraditional country pioneer and fellow Texan George Strait as his musical hero, and has covered several Strait songs in his performances.[9][10]
In elementary school McCollum learned violin and played in the school orchestra,[5] and he started learning guitar at age thirteen.[8] At thirteen he also began writing his own music,[11] mixing genres such as Texas country music, Americana, and indie rock.[5] According to McCollum, he was greatly influenced by his older brother Tyler's lyrics and songwriting.[11] After performing at a number of local open mics with his guitar,[5] he started learning harmonica at age fifteen.[8] By sixteen he was securing gigs at local venues[5] and continued to work on his material through high school, The Woodlands College Park High School.[5][8] After graduation he moved to Austin, Texas,[11] where he began attending college.[5]
Music career[edit]
Singles and A Red Town View (2013–2014)[edit]
McCollum continued to perform as a singer-songwriter while living in Austin and he went on his first tour with the Texas band Six Market Blvd. The tour inspired the lyrics for his first single, "Highway",[5] which was released on June 5, 2013, and later included on his debut EP A Red Town View. Released on November 19, 2013, the EP was produced by Corby Schaub, who is also known as the former guitarist for Ryan Bingham.[5]
The Limestone Kid (2015)[edit]
McCollum's debut album The Limestone Kid was recorded at Cedar Creek Recording in Austin,[8] and includes styles such as Americana,[7] Texas country, and folk-rock.[8] McCollum handles vocals, acoustic guitar, and harmonica,[7][8] and his Austin-based backing band included Kurt Grien on lead guitar, Jason Newberry on bass, Will Hoback on drums, and Charlie Magnone on keyboards and piano.[8] Multi-instrumentalist Corby Schaub produced the album.[8] Lloyd Maines contributed pedal steel guitar.[12]
Musical style and influences[edit]
Parker McCollum's music incorporates genres as diverse as blues, roots rock,[13] soul, and folk rock, though his albums have primarily been described as country[5] and Americana. His music has received rotation on Americana radio stations in particular, and he has referenced Americana singer-songwriter Ryan Bingham as a significant influence. Other stylistic influences include alternative country musician Ryan Adams, blues and folk artist Townes Van Zandt, pop-rock artist John Mayer, and country musician George Strait.[5][27]