Dillon Carmichael is kicking off what promises to be a year full of new music with his first release, a rowdy, patriotic anthem titled, “Keepin’ Country Alive.”
With this song, the emerging act is doing what he’s always done best – tapping into his Kentucky roots and celebrating the hardworking spirit of rural America. He particularly pays homage to those living the small-town way of life and their role in keeping the traditions that make up the humble storytelling of country music alive in today’s modern world.
Carmichael co-wrote “Keepin’ Country Alive” alongside Matt Roy and Paul Sikes. These songwriters pulled inspiration from moments in the past when the country lifestyle wasn’t so popular and how that led to Carmichael’s desire to do everything he can to preserve it.
He credits those who still listen to the genre’s greats like Merle Haggard, spend their weekends between a bonfire and church, and work hard each day to make a living for the ones they love. These are the kinds of experiences and people that make up the rural way of living and Carmichael makes sure to honor the power in those simple moments.
“Here’s to the ones keeping ‘ol Merle spinning/ Midnight first time cornrow kissing/ New coat of water tower spray-painted names/ New crop of crop growers praying for rain/ From Saturday bonfires to Sunday pews/ Filling in all them hand-me-down boots/ Making sure that the roots in them towns don’t die/ Here’s to the boys and the girls keepin’ country alive,” he sings on the chorus.
“Keepin’ Country Alive” gives fans a glimpse into Carmichael’s next album, set to debut this summer. The project of the same name will feature 16 tracks with stories that will “make you cry, make you want to call your mama, [and] make you want to go back home,” according to the singer/songwriter. Fans will hear him get deeply personal in each song while stringing along the same sentiment behind his latest single.
With each year that passes, Dillon Carmichael further cements his name in the industry and gains more and more fans along the way. He had an exciting year of touring in 2024 and is now preparing for “a ton” of headline shows in the coming months.
Find out what’s ahead for Carmichael in 2025 by reading more from our conversation at Country Radio Seminar (CRS) below.
Talk about your intentions behind your first release of the year, “Keepin’ Country Alive.”
So that song is simply about the way I grew up. It’s really me just acknowledging the concept that there’s other people out there like me growing up, first kiss in a cornfield and being scared of her daddy and picking her up for a date and saying, ‘Hey, come on back, be back by nine.’ And it’s just all that good old simple that stuff. And I know there’s some boys and girls keeping it alive out there. So this is a little tribute to them.
Last year you dropped some renditions of Adele and George Strait songs. How did you land on these particular artists to cover?
I’ve always loved both of those songs. “Run” by George Strait, that’s my wife and I’s Wedding song. “Someone Like You,” my cousin introduced me to Adele when I was a teenager when I first got my driver’s license. And that song always just spoke to me for some reason. So I kind of came up with the idea to do a couple cover songs and it was a no-brainer that those two being my favorite songs, that has to be it. And so I think people could feel how much I love those songs when I recorded ’em. And it’s been a great reaction, been really a highlight of my career, so to speak.
What can you share about your next album dropping this summer?
There’s 16 songs on it. There is a lot of fun songs, songs that will also make you cry, make you want to call your mama, make you want to go back home. And yeah, I like to keep my songs fun, but also some that are wholesome, that have a message that just light your spirit.
How will this album compare to your past projects?
I love my previous albums a lot, but I really feel I got the right songs here. I’ve been on a roll writing my best songs, the best I’ve ever written, and I really feel like I’ve captured my sound in a way that I feel like is finally where I want it. And then I’m just really happy with the production and everything about it…I’m biased, but I hope everybody likes it as much as I do.
You had a lot of incredible tour slots last year including Jon Pardi’s European run. Was that your first time performing internationally?
First time leaving the United States, that’s not true actually, I went to Costa Rica on honeymoon, but other than that first time. First time performing outside of the United States. It was incredible. January of last year, I went on tour with Cody Johnson in March, I went overseas with Jon Pardi, and then I got back and guess what was waiting for me? Luke Bryan. Went on tour with Luke Bryan all summer. It was awesome. And I think this year’s going to be better. So I’m excited.
What is the audience like over there versus in the states?
They are a listening audience, which is really nice because there are times where you’re trying to, you got to get their attention here and that’s great. They’re kind of used to live performances around here and that’s fantastic. But over there it’s big deal for them to get to see a concert, especially their favorite country artists, because country music is just now starting to infiltrate over there. That’s a weird word to use for it, but you know what I mean. So they’re real quiet. Well, we’re not used to that, so we were like, ‘alright, we’re going to do a holler and swaller.’ I’m like, ‘on the count of three, y’all holler and we all just [drink],’ and they’re just like, what? But by the end of it, they start catching on and it’s so much fun to just, I feel like a part of introducing country music to Europe is just such a cool story. I’ll be sharing it as an old man, I may have a couple grays coming out, but I ain’t quite there yet.
Did you receive any advice from any of those acts while out on the road?
That’s a great question. Particularly Jon Pardi. Him and I have been buddies, we’ve worked together for about three years now. He produces my albums alongside Ryan Gore and Jared Conrad. But I’ve spent a lot of time with Jon, and Jon’s been through it. He’s done all this stuff and very similarly, he loves his fans. But one thing he told me was, you got to kind of grab the bull by the horns. Just get out there and treat this like any other blue collar job, almost get out there and nose to the grindstone. Work harder than everybody else if you can, and just work as hard as you possibly can. So yeah, it’s great to be surrounded by people like that that can keep motivating you and pushing you.
What are your plans for touring in 2025?
Well, there are some things I can’t disclose at the moment, but I am doing a ton of headlining shows. There’ll be some theaters, mostly bigger clubs, like some of the super clubs like the line dance halls. And we’ll be doing, gosh, I mean we’ve got some opening slots for some folks. I can tell you we’re going to be doing some shows with Miranda Lambert, we’re doing Country Thunder and Riley Green and Ella Langley, Randy Houser. We’re out with some really cool people and we’re working on some stuff. It’s going to be an exciting year.
The post Dillon Carmichael Reflects On Honoring Small-Town Traditions In Anthemic ‘Keepin’ Country Alive,’ Teases Forthcoming Album [Exclusive] appeared first on Country Now.
