Exclusive Q&A: Preston Cooper Dives Into The Making Of His Debut Album, ‘Toledo Talkin”

From delivering mail in his small town to taking part in Nashville songwriting sessions, Preston Cooper has slowly been building out a catalog of songs that chronicle his journey fueled by hard work and a relentless determination. With his debut album, Toledo Talkin’, out now, we get an inside look into the emotions of leaving his home in Ohio behind to chase a dream in Music City.

With his bold storytelling on full display, the rising country act captures the highs and lows of that journey, from battling homesickness and self-doubt to embracing new risks and opportunities.

Featuring powerful tracks like the chart-climbing single “Weak” and the fearless “The Takedown,” Toledo Talkin’ showcases Cooper’s ability to connect deeply with listeners. Backed by a talented team including the Warren Brothers, who co-wrote much of the album and helped produce it, Preston is quickly establishing himself as a fresh voice with stadium-sized potential rooted in Midwestern grit.

Currently touring with Riley Green on the Damn Country Music Tour, Preston is hitting milestone venues like Red Rocks Amphitheatre while sharing his honest stories and dynamic performances across the country.

Learn more about Preston Cooper’s debut album and the next chapter of his career in the exclusive Q&A below:

Your debut single “Weak” is officially inside the Top 40, how has it felt to see that rise soar up the charts?

It’s been a whirlwind. I’m very grateful for what it’s done…It’s in the top 40 now. Yeah, it’s I think 37 or something, so that’s pretty crazy. But yeah, just from writing that melody on the mail route, I used to work for the post office, and then coming to Nashville and writing the lyrics for it. It’s been really cool.

“Numbers On A Mailbox” feels like a standout track on the album as it correlates to your past job with the post office. Can you talk about what made you want to cut this song?

This is a really cool story, and I’m glad you asked. I did not write that song. That song was actually, the Warren Brothers wrote that song like eight years before they met me and they met me and they’re like, ‘you would be perfect for this song from a small town.’ And I worked for the post office and I had a lot to do with mailboxes. So it was just so cool, and it spoke to me personally and I was like, ‘yeah, I’m doing it.’ 

How did you land on the title, Toledo Talkin’, for the album?

So I picked “Toledo Talkin’” because there’s such a big story behind that, and it’s kind of how I got found and how the professional side of the music business started for me and just really took it to the next level. But I was playing a gig in Toledo at a Holiday Inn in a ballroom, and I opened up for the Warren Brothers, and so they had seen me play there, and then they’re like, ‘dude, you got to get to Nashville.’ So I came to Nashville three weeks later and we wrote “Weak.” Then we wrote another song the same day right after that. It was called “Toledo Talkin’,” but the whole name behind that song was from a conversation that we had had. I walked in the doors and they’re like, ‘alright, when are you moving here?’ And it was literally five minutes in. I was like, ‘dude, slow down. This is my first time in Nashville.’ And they’re like, ‘well, you got to move here.’ And I was just explaining how it’s scary because I’ve heard a lot of bad stories about people moving here and just not working out, having to move back home. And they said, ‘nah, that’s just Toledo talking.’ And so that’s the moment where we’re like, we got to write that song. So we literally sat down and wrote it right there in the spot, and it was just such a fitting album title.

You proceeded to build a project with songs that highlight different parts of your journey, even if you didn’t have a hand in writing all of them. Since it’s your debut project was that always your goal with this album?

Yeah, it was just kind of the whole coming to Nashville sign, the period of my life. It was all about that and moving and just taking chances. Basically a lot of the album is about that. So I know “The Takedown” is really big in that too. 

Can you dive a little bit more into “The Takedown” and the story behind it?

Yeah, I wrote “The Takedown” with Brett [Warren] and I was at his house in his little apartment above the garage, and we were just hanging out and talking. I was just telling him how it was hard at the time. I just moved here and I was like, ‘man, I just have to take down all the stuff off my wall because it’s like I can’t focus on that. It kind of takes away from what I’m trying to do, [which] is pursue this career. It’s distracting to see all that stuff from my hometown.’ So he’s like, ‘dude, that’s a great song. The takedown.’ So we literally wrote “The Takedown” and that’s kind of what it’s about. 

Did you take the best song wins approach for this project?

I’m not opposed to picking a song that I didn’t write. If it’s a great song, it’s a great song and I’m going to sing it, especially if I love it. It speaks to me like “Numbers On A Mailbox” spoke to me. “Around Around Here” was the same way. It was really catchy first of all, but it was like, I just loved it because of the small town vibe it had. You can’t go anywhere around here without seeing somebody that you know around here. You know what I mean? So that was a really cool song. I think the other one, “Used To,” I love that song so much because my hero, Chris Stapleton wrote it. So I was like, yeah, I’d love to have that opportunity to sing a song that he wrote. 

You have been getting a lot of comparisons to Chris Stapleton. How do you feel when you hear that?

I think it’s a compliment. I mean, he’s one of probably the best singers in country music, in my opinion, on the planet. I mean, that’s not a bad thing to be compared to him, and he’s my hero.

Was there anything about this process of making this project that was very challenging or very unexpected for you since this is your first time building out a full album? 

Yeah, there was some challenging times during the making of the album. I was traveling back and forth from Ohio to Nashville. I was still playing gigs at the time, at the bars, the local bars and stuff. I had tons of stuff booked. So I was doing all that just to make enough money to live here while coming down and making the album. I had to do both of that at the same time. And it was hard mentally to go to Ohio and play some gigs, but then come back and get into the mode of creating. It was really hard to keep going back and forth and just moving here. It was just tough in the beginning, it really was. But it was fun at the same time. It was a journey, and I’m so glad that I did it, and I think everything happens for a reason. So yeah, that’s kind of my experience with it. 

Hows it been being on the road with Riley Green?

It’s been great. Riley’s whole crew is awesome. Riley himself is just an amazing guy and super nice, and then he treats everybody well. But just playing in front of that many people is pretty cool. The biggest crowd so far I think has been 18,000, and that was eye opening to me. It’s like, wow, I’m really doing it. To be on that tour is such an honor. So it’s just I’m very thankful for that. 

Have you had the chance to sit down and have some good conversations with Riley?

When we do hang out, it’s more about hunting than anything. We don’t really talk about the business much…I do learn a lot from him though. When he’s playing I go out and watch him quite a bit, so that’s pretty cool. I learned how to do things that he does and take some of that and put it in my own show. But yeah, it’s fun to hang out with him. We’ve had some good conversations and stuff.

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What was your reaction when you found out that you were going to play Red Rocks Amphitheater?

I was kind of speechless. I didn’t really know how to act, to be honest. It was so early on that I learned that information and it’s just, like I said, I was speechless. I didn’t know how to act. It was cool… I did visit it not too long ago. I was doing a radio visit out there, and we did go out and just see it. There was no show going on. It’s a park, so it’s cool. You can just go walk around. 

What are some of your other bucket list venues?

Madison Square Garden is one of my dream venues. I had a lot of inspirational musicians play there, and just a place I always loved. And then the Ryman Auditorium is another one.