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, 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.
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