Luke Bryan Returns To The Stage, Releases New Song, ‘Southern And Slow’
Bryan reflects on the “simple times” in his new track.
Luke Bryan; Photo by Eric Ryan Anderson
Luke Bryan is giving fans another taste of what’s to come on his long-awaited new album with the release of the new track, “Southern and Slow.”
Available on all digital platforms, the song was co-written by Matt Dragstrem, Josh Thompson, and Chase McGill and co-produced by Jeff Stevens and Jody Stevens.
It’s the third song released from Bryan’s yet-to-be-announced album and finds the country superstar reflecting upon the “simple times.”
“Those picture-perfect moments like the sun setting behind a water tower, honey dripping off a spoon, well, it doesn’t get much country’er than that. Let’s slow it down southern style because this life seems to be moving faster than ever.”
“I need slow and southern like a Sunday/ Like muddy water rollin’ by a riverbank/ Like some sleepy little town, down with the moon/ Livin’ like honey drippin’ off a spoon/ Like the sun that takes an hour to get behind the water tower/ ‘Bout the speed of watchin’ wildflowers grow/ Ain’t but two ways this old boy’s gonna go/ Slow and southern, southern and slow,” he sings on the track’s chorus.
Listen
Bryan’s latest single, “But I Got A Beer In My Hand,” is climbing the charts at country radio now.
He recently brought the feel-good summer anthem to life with the release of a music video for the song.
The clip features the five-time Entertainer of the Year shaking off a breakup at a barn party where the drinks are flowing and good times are being had.
Watch
The news comes after Luke Bryan returned to the stage for the first time after being forced to cancel or postpone several shows on his Country On Tour, including shows in Salt Lake City, Boise and Watershed.
Bryan took to social media on Thursday evening ahead of his show in Arkansas to show gratitude for the prayers and well-wishes.
“What’s up y’all? It’s Luke here, backstage here in Arkansas, about to go on stage. I wanted to thank everybody for all the well wishes this past weekend,” Bryan said in the clip. “Never in my career have I had to not do, or could I not do three shows in a week. It was a pretty frustrating week for me, just being sick with all kind of stuff going on up here. But I want to let my Salt Lake City fans know, love y’all, miss you and Boise and everybody at Watershed. So sorry I couldn’t make this past weekend happen.”
He then went on to thank Lainey Wilson for filling in for him at Watershed Festival and for the sweet onstage tribute, where she performed several of Bryan’s chart-topping hits.
“I want to send big props to Lainey Wilson for stepping in, and obviously she did some songs of mine from stage, which made me smile and made my heart feel with joy,” Bryan continued. ”Like I said, I’m going to go out there tonight, still, not a hundred percent. I’m going to give it my all.”
Additionally, Luke Bryan is currently in the midst of his headlining Country On Tour, which kicked off on June 15 in Syracuse, New York. The trek, which runs through October 28, will visit 36 cities across the United States with stops in Philadelphia, Nashville, Charlotte, and more.
Chayce Beckham, Tyler Braden, Ashley Cooke, Jackson Dean, Jon Langston, Conner Smith, Alana Springsteen, and Hailey Whitters join Bryan on the run alongside DJ Rock.
“I’m so excited about this year’s summer tour, the Country On Tour. I’ve got a lot of new up-and-coming artists. Some of ‘em have had a hit, some of ‘em are about to have a hit. They’re gonna be out there with me, and I’m so excited to be around young talent and watch them enjoy the summer tour,” Bryan previously shared of his tour mates.
He later added, “My favorite part about being out there on the Country On Tour is going town to town, and nothing is better than being out on the road in the summer.”
Later this year, Luke Bryan will take to the road for his 14th annual Farm Tour, which is set to run from September 14 through September 23. The trek will find Bryan visiting five farms, including Mulberry Orchard (Shelbyville, KY), Miller Family Farm (Millersport, OH), Schnell Family Farms (Colfax, IA), Klondike Farms (Brooklyn, WI) and Gar-Lin Dairy LLC (Eyota, MN).
Kameron Marlowe, Chayce Beckham, Peach Pickers and DJ Rock will serve as support on the Georgia native’s Farm Tour.
“One of the reasons we created these Farm Tour shows – to bring the big-city tour to the people,” Bryan explained in a press release. “These nights are one-of-a-kind and we really enjoy getting to know the farmers and their families, love the whole atmosphere of playing on these incredible farms and watching entire communities come together and get excited about these shows.”
In addition to touring, Luke Bryan recently announced that he will soon bid farewell to Las Vegas after a nearly two-year stint at Resorts World.
Earlier this week, the American Idol judge announced his final residency dates, which include a New Year’s Eve performance. His Luke Bryan: VEGAS concludes on January 6, 2024.
The remaining dates for Luke Bryan’s Las Vegas Residency can be found below.
August 2023: 30
September 2023: 2, 3, 6, 8-9
December 2023: 29, 30, 31
January 2024: 2, 5, 6
Tickets for Luke Bryan’s Las Vegas residency shows are on sale now HERE.
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.
You may also like
Country Next
Playlist
On Repeat
Get the latest country music news delivered straight to your inbox.
