Jordan Davis Celebrates No. 1 Milestone, Previews New Album in Nashville

‘Learn the Hard Way’ drops August 15.

By

Lauren Jo Black

| Posted on

August 7, 2025

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12:02 pm

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Jordan Davis; Photo by Evan Harney

Every once in a while, you’re reminded of what makes Nashville so special: the sense of community, the perseverance, and the unexpected moments that bring songs to life. That was the case at Jordan Davis’ No. 1 party celebrating his eighth chart-topper, “I Ain’t Sayin’.”

The song marked several firsts: it was Davis’ first outside cut released as a single, and the first No. 1 for two of its writers, Steve Moakler and Emily Reid, who co-wrote it with Travis Wood and Mark Holman, despite being longtime members of the Nashville songwriting community.

Jordan Davis - I Ain't Sayin'
Jordan Davis – I Ain’t Sayin’

A No. 1 song can be life-changing for a writer, and it was special to witness their hard work finally pay off.

According to the writers, the track came together quickly. It began during a previous session and was finished on a writing retreat in Big Sky, Montana. 

Davis was at the writing retreat but didn’t hop in on this session, leaving the writers to work their magic in a close by room. After hearing their rough-cut demo after the song was completed, Davis knew it was something he had to record. 

Not long after, he laid his vocals down, the song was released, and began its climb up the charts, ultimately serving as the first glimpse of Davis’ next album.

Looking back on how it all came together, Davis said, “To me, that’s the coolest thing about being in town and being a songwriter is you never know where it’s going to come from. I am fans of all these guys…I’ve been a Moakler fan for a real long time. I think all five of us…we’re blessed to get to do this and it’s just special how it all comes together…It just kind of goes to show you how crazy Nashville can be, but perseverance, and I definitely think everybody on this couch has learned that lesson.”  

Following the No. 1 celebration, Jordan Davis invited friends, collaborators, and industry members to an album release party for his upcoming project, Learn the Hard Way, where he gave a live preview of the new music and its collaborations.

Carly Pearce and Jordan Davis; Photo by Caleb Cockrell
Carly Pearce and Jordan Davis; Photo by Caleb Cockrell

Treating guests to a seafood boil, a nod to his home state of Louisiana, Davis also performed several songs from the upcoming collection, including “Louisiana Stick” with Marcus King, and Mess With Missing You” with his longtime friend Carly Pearce. The father of four also performed the title track, the recently released “Turn This Truck Around,” and his chart-climbing single, “Bar None.” 

Marcus King and Jordan Davis; Photo by Caleb Cockrell
Marcus King and Jordan Davis; Photo by Caleb Cockrell

Next, Davis will appear on Jimmy Kimmel LIVE! August 14 to perform “Bar None,” followed by an August 21 performance on TODAY to celebrate his new album release and preview his fall headlining tour, Ain’t Enough Road. 

The tour kicks off September 11 in Greater Palm Springs, CA, with stops at venues like Los Angeles’ Greek Theatre (Sept. 18) and New York City’s Radio City Music Hall (Oct. 2). The trek features special guests Mitchell Tenpenny and Vincent Mason and will wrap up on October 25 in Estero, Florida.

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Lauren Jo Black

Written by

Lauren Jo Black

Lauren Jo Black, a University of Central Florida graduate, has immersed herself in the world of country music for over 15 years. In 2008, she co-founded CountryMusicIsLove, eventually selling it to a major record label in 2015. Following the rebranding of the website to Sounds Like Nashville, Black served as Editor-in-Chief for two and a half years. Currently, she assumes the role of Editor-in-Chief at Country Now and oversees Country Now’s content and digital footprint. Her extensive experience also encompasses her previous role as a Country Music Expert Writer for Answers.com and her work being featured on Forbes.com. She’s been spotlighted among Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. Black also spent time in front of the camera as host of Country Now Live, which brought live music directly to fans in 2021 when the majority of concerts were halted due to the pandemic. During this time, she hosted 24 weeks of live concerts via Country Now Live on Twitch with special guests such as Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, Brett Young, and Jon Pardi. Over the course of her career, she has had the privilege of conducting interviews with some of the industry’s most prominent stars, including Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and many others. Lauren Jo Black is a longtime member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.