Cole Swindell Reflects on Fatherhood as Daughter Rainey Nears Her First Birthday

Nearly a year after Cole Swindell welcomed his first child, a daughter named Rainey, with wife Courtney, the country star is opening up about fatherhood and sharing a sweet update on his growing girl during a recent guest co-host appearance on Country Countdown U.S.A. with Lon Helton.

According to Swindell, the almost 11-month-old is constantly on the move now that she’s learning to crawl and pull herself up to standing.

“She’s crawling. We started working with her, and she hasn’t stopped. She pulls herself up. She’s not quite standing on her own. It’s just amazing,” the proud father reflects.

Becoming a father has caused Swindell to reflect on his own upbringing and the impact his late father had on his life. After losing his dad unexpectedly in 2013, he’s found himself becoming especially mindful of the example he wants to set for his daughter now.

“Losing my dad and the impact he made on me…You have to find the good in every situation,” he reflects. “Me going through that makes me know I have to be a good example. I want her to know me as her dad.  It scared me to death, the life I’m leading now.  I wish it could have happened sooner, but it all works out when it’s supposed to.”

While his little girl has become his top priority, the “She Had Me At Heads Carolina” singer admits he never could have imagined just how much he would love this chapter of his life until he experienced it for himself.

“That is #1 on my list of all things. It’s wild, you hear how special it’s gonna be, and some of the best things you gotta live em to go tell about. It’s everything people say.  It’s a lot,” he shared.

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Swindell, who just celebrated his his 43^rd birthday on June 30, recently released an emotional new song called “Girl Dad” that digs into the emotions of realizing his own father isn’t around to see anymore of his big milestones like welcoming his first child.

The song serves as a follow-up of “You Should Be Here,” which Swindell released back in 2015 while grieving the sudden loss of his father at the time. With “Girl Dad,” he offers a glimpse into the things that have changed and what has remained the same since the events of that past release.

Cole Swindell and Courtney welcomed Rainey Gail Swindell into the world August 7, 2025. He explained to Helton that his little girl’s name came from his mother’s maiden name as a way to follow his grandfather’s advice to never forget where he came from.

“That was the name I always thought of.  To honor our moms with our daughter’s name is so cool,” he explained.

The family of three is currently enjoying life on the road together as the Georgia native makes his way through a slew of Summer 2026 Tour Dates.