Lanie Gardner Gets Real About New Song, ‘Concrete Cowboy’: ‘I Actually Wrote It About My Current Boyfriend’ [Exclusive]
“Call me Taylor Swift, but I do write about all of my relationships…”
Lanie Gardner; Photo by Alysse Gafkjen
Rising country star Lanie Gardner continues to turn heads, this time with her newest release, “Concrete Cowboy.” The North Carolina native co-wrote the song with producers Katie Cecil and Chris Ganoudis, sharing the story of heartbreak caused by someone who pretended to be something he wasn’t.
Ahead of the release, Gardner spoke with Country Now at Live in the Vineyard Goes Country, where she opened up about the inspiration behind the track and how she felt going into the release.
“So just being transparent, I actually wrote it about my current boyfriend right now,” she revealed.
With a laugh, she added, “Call me Taylor Swift, but I do write about all of my relationships, short, long, whatever.”
The song was inspired by the early stages of her relationship and during a time when her career was in a lull.
“Towards the beginning, it was pretty rocky… it was a time when nothing was really happening with my music career and so I started writing for myself rather than for the world,” she explained. “And I think that’s why that song kind of comes off so real.”
The song instantly draws listeners in with its vivid storytelling and Gardner’s irresistible vocals. The first verse sets the story up as a guy rolls into town, looking the part of a country boy with his black Mustang and clean boots, but it’s clear he doesn’t belong. The girl, who is described as a southern wildflower, falls for his charm, however, the excitement quickly fades as his true character is revealed.
“Concrete cowboy/ Shouldn’t have loved her if you didn’t know how, boy/ Pulled a wildflower out of southern ground/ And watched the color fade out/ Fell for those city lights in your eyes/ But she couldn’t survive your heart of concrete, cowboy,” she sings.
Of her muse, the 25-year-old explained, “He’s from Chatt (Chattanooga, Tenn.), that’s city enough for me, but coming in and kind of posing as country boys long enough to bag a southern belle and we have big hearts and we love strong…It’s simple as that.”
“Concrete Cowboy” has been in the works for four years, ever since her cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” went viral with over 60 million views. At this point in her career, Gardner says she finally feels the freedom to release her music on her own terms with the help of her team.
“I have people around me that see the vision that I do, who are willing to work for it and stick their necks out there for it. It’s different and I’ve been writing for it for the last four years and so now finally getting to release that music and show what we’ve been doing kind of under the radar is exciting,” she said.
Gardner admitted she was a bit “nervous” and “excited” to release “Concrete Cowboy” into the world.
“I’m nervous about it. Hopefully people will be able to relate to it in some way or just like to listen to it,” she pointed out. “I’m excited because it’s been written for such a long time and I’ve been wanting to release it and now I finally get the opportunity to.”
In addition to dropping “Concrete Cowboy,” Gardner recently joined forces with Thomas Rhett on “What Could Go Right” and Warren Zeiders on “Love In Letting Go.” She doesn’t take these pinch-me moments for granted, feeling honored to have received the call to collaborate—and hoping to pay it forward someday.
“People like Thomas Rhett, I think he really does give the helping hand up to younger artists and if he likes something, he likes the sound of something, that’s what he’s going to do. And he seems pretty straightforward and dedicated to that, which I really appreciate and maybe I can do that for someone one day,” she shared.
When reflecting on her collaboration with Warren Zeiders on “Love In Letting Go,” Gardner shared her hope that the song highlights the power of mutual support in the industry.
“I feel like that song hopefully resonates with other people and they’re able to see that there’s artists in the music industry that do believe in each other and give each other a chance on something.”
This summer, fans can catch Lanie Gardner at CMA Fest, Carolina Country Music Festival and more, before she hits the road with Gavin Adcock on his ‘Need To’ Tour this fall.
Lauren Jo Black is a longtime country music journalist, editor, host, and media personality whose work has helped shape the conversation around country music for nearly two decades. As the current Editor-in-Chief of Country Now, she has become one of the genre’s most respected voices, interviewing hundreds of country music’s biggest stars, including Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and countless others. Over the course of her career, Black’s written work and interviews have reached billions of country music fans worldwide. A 2009 graduate of the University of Central Florida, Black began her career by founding Country Music Is Love, one of country music’s earliest independent digital publications, which she later sold to a major record label in 2015 before it was rebranded as Sounds Like Nashville. She then served as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief for more than two years. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, and she previously served as the Country Music Expert for Answers.com. Widely recognized for her expertise, Black has appeared as a featured guest on The Bobby Bones Show, BobbyCast, and Scripps News Morning Rush, providing insight on country music’s biggest moments. She has also hosted Country Now Live, a concert series featuring performances from artists including Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Chris Young, and more. The series has welcomed thousands of fans in person while reaching millions more online. In addition, she hosted Connect With Country Now, a weekly interview series featuring conversations with rising country stars. Throughout her career, Black has earned a reputation for discovering and championing artists long before they become household names. She has covered Luke Bryan since the early days of his career, beginning when he was writing songs for other artists, including Billy Currington’s No. 1 hit “Good Directions,” before stepping into the spotlight with his debut single, “All My Friends Say” and eventually becoming one of biggest names in music. She also gave Megan Moroney her first opportunity to walk a major red carpet as Country Now’s official guest correspondent at the 2022 CMA Awards. An interview she conducted in 2018 for Forbes.com with Luke Combs that inspired his multi-week No. 1 hit, “Doin’ This.” She has also hosted stages at CMA Fest, moderated an industry panel at Country Radio Seminar, and helped lead important conversations about the evolving landscape of country music media. Beyond journalism, Black has also used her platform to support charitable causes and highlight organizations making an impact. Through Country Now Live, she has helped raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while also advocating for animal rescue through Country Now’s Pupdate series, spotlighting organizations including MuttNation Foundation, Wags & Walks, and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Black has been recognized as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. She is a longtime member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). After nearly 20 years covering country music, Lauren Jo Black has spent her career telling the stories behind the artists, songs, and moments that have shaped the genre. Her first-ever book, Country Music Forever: An A-to-Z Celebration of Icons, Songs and Stories, brings that same passion and firsthand knowledge to the page, celebrating not only the legendary artists and timeless songs that have become the soundtrack to generations of fans, but also the places, traditions, and cultural moments that have made country music one of the most beloved genres around the world.
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