Corey Kent on Why ‘Heartland Rock and Roll’ Feels Like a Defining Moment in His Career [Exclusive]

Corey Kent’s new album, Heartland Rock and Roll is a reflection of where he came from, the life he’s built and the experiences that shaped him along the way. The Oklahoma native admits this project feels different than any of his past records, noting it features some of his most autobiographical songs yet that give fans a true look behind the curtain at the man he is today.

“I’ve never felt more confident in a batch of songs, and this will be the largest record I’ve ever made. And really, it’s autobiographical in a way that I’ve never really approached a record before. I think the last couple of records, there were definitely songs that let you see a bit into my mind and what I thought was important or mantras I live by, but this record is just a little bit more detailed in the ins and outs of my actual life,” Kent explained to Country Now.

The 16-track collection, produced by Austin Goodloe, Jon Randall and Chris Farren, begins with “Motorbike,” a coming-of-age song about his desire to leave his hometown of Bixby, Oklahoma, in search of something new beyond the small town. Things eventually come full circle with the final track, “Bixby,” a song directly inspired by his hometown and the realization of missing the simplicity and the slower pace of life of back there. Listeners will hear Kent reflect on the new perspective he gains, as he now sees the beauty of where he hails from and how he was raised.

Between those two songs are real stories of love, loss, heartbreak, growing up and the rollercoaster of experiences that come with finding your way through life.

Sonically, Kent describes the album as a “melting pot” of the music that has influenced him throughout his life. There are touches of nostalgia through ’70s rock and roll and R&B, along with influences from Creedence Clearwater Revival, John Mellencamp, Bruce Springsteen, the Eagles, and the early records of Kings of Leon. Between these influences and the Red Dirt scene he was raised on, Kent felt that the title, Heartland Rock and Roll, served as the perfect way to sum it all up.

“I’m pulling from all of it to create this record…it was really fun, honestly. It’s the most fun I’ve ever had making a record. And I finally got to take my time on it and I didn’t rush the process and I was just like, ‘It will be done when it’s done.’ And it’s finally done and it’s time to put it out into the world. 

One of the most personal moments on Heartland Rock and Roll came from an ordinary day at Kent’s ranch in Texas. “Everyday Life,” a deeply personal song about Kent’s life beyond the stage, offers a glimpse into his world as a husband and father and captures the everyday moments that mean the most to him.

“That song is 100% for me. Historically, the more adventurous, more rock and roll free-spirited songs have been the ones that, or even some heartbreak songs have been the ones that have really become big hits for us. But ‘Everyday Life’ is just such a snapshot of my real day-to-day that, it was for me…that song could still be a big hit for us, but it wasn’t recorded with that intent. It was recorded with the intention of being a snapshot and being a moment in my life that I could look back on and listen to and remember, and just to be grateful for all the chaos.”

The best part is that listeners will hear his kids’ voices at the very beginning, sharing their names and even what they got for Christmas last year. Kent and his producer, Austin Goodloe, captured that raw moment while on the ranch that day. It wasn’t planned, nor was it ever supposed to make the final cut. However, after hearing how much his children’s young voices added to the sentiment of the song, he knew they had to stay.

“We ended up taking it out just to clean up the song when we took it into the studio to really cut it. And I just remember going, ‘Dude, we got to put their voices back in. It’s lost so much character and it’s just special.’ So it was a happy accident that ended up being perfect.”

In addition to “Everyday Life,” fans also got an early taste of the full-length project through the fan-favorite, “Empty Words,” as well as “Wannabe,” “Cigarette Burns,” and the only two collaborations on the project, “Rather Be” feat. Jason Aldean and his current single, “Rocky Mountain Low” feat. Koe Wetzel.

Kent was selective about who he wanted to feature on the album. Because of how personal the record is, he wanted the collaborations to come from genuine friendships. That led to him working with two artists who he has organically developed strong connections with.

For “Rocky Mountain Low,” Kent says he immediately thought of Wetzel after writing the song. The two Texas-based artists had developed a friendship over the years after meeting in Cabo and bonding over some cigars. While writing this track, Kent had the realization that the second verse sounded like it was written specifically for Wetzel.

Rather than wait for schedules, labels and managers to coordinate everything, the two decided to make it happen themselves. Now, the song has reached the top 10 in 17 weeks and continues to climb its way up the the country charts.

“We cut the song and got the videos and turned it in. And we were like, ‘Hey, we put our own money up for this, and if you guys like it, then pay us back. And if not, we’re still putting it out.’ And thankfully everybody was on board and thought it was going to be a big song, and it was.”

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Kent credits Aldean with giving him his first opportunity to join a major national tour when he was still playing dive bars across Texas and Oklahoma. It didn’t take long for the two families to become close. The two had wanted to record a song together for years, but waited until the time was right. That moment finally came with “Rather Be.”

“I texted it to him and he’s like, ‘I love this song. I think we found the one,” he recalled. “Because I was already done with my part, I was sitting behind the board. Me and Austin Goodloe were producing Jason Aldean’s vocals, which was such a crazy surreal experience for me…And it just hit me. I looked at Austin and I was like, ‘How in the hell did we get right here. Producing Jason Aldean’s vocal? This is crazy.’ It was a fun experience, and he crushed that song, and it’s been a really fun one to play live, and it’s just fun to have songs with real genuine friends.”

While Kent hopes the album helps fans understand him on a deeper level, he also wants them to find pieces of their own lives in the songs. Now that the entire record is out into the world, he hopes to fulfill his mission of giving the world a project that can be impactful on everyone, no matter what stage of life they’re in.

“I hope it’s a record that people want to put on when they’re sitting around a campfire and go back and think about the past,” Kent admitted. “And I hope it’s a live in the moment, you’re out on the lake and they’re fun songs that you want to crank up and listen to while you’re out having a good day with your friends. So it’s really casting a wide net, but I think sonically is what I’m most excited about of just carving out and really naming, identifying my sound in country music.”

After spending years building toward this moment, there’s no question as to why Kent believes Heartland Rock and Roll represents something different for him as an artist. These songs will forever be a part of his legacy, as they capture a defining chapter of his life and the sound he hopes listeners will remember him for.

“It definitely feels like a destined record. And when I talk about why it feels different, it’s got this possibility of, especially before the songs came out, it just had this feeling of this might be the record that people remember. When they think of my name in country music, they might reference this record. And I’ve never had that feeling about a record before. I’ve had songs where I was like, ‘yeah, people are going to remember this song and my name because of it,’ but this record feels like a completely different animal.”

Now Kent is ready to bring the album to life with the Heartland Rock and Roll Tour. The tour will feature new venues, including Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium, along with a completely redesigned stage and visual production. Kent said the goal is to create a live show that matches the energy and feel of the album.

“It’s going to be a fun, fun tour, and the energy surrounding this record has been amazing. The band can feel it, the crew can feel it, and it’s making everybody just creative, and everybody’s given 110% of themselves to create the best possible show and try to match the intensity of this record and match how awesome this record is with making sure that the live show leaves no stone unturned and is just exhilarating from the start,” Kent explained.

The tour will officially launch on January 22, 2027 at Billy Bob’s Texas in Fort Worth, Texas.