Machine Gun Kelly and Jelly Roll Channel John Denver in Forthcoming Track, ‘Lonely Road’

Is Machine Gun Kelly (MGK) going country? The versatile artist has teamed up with Jelly Roll for an upcoming collaboration titled “Lonely Road,” which pays homage to the classic John Denver hit, “Take Me Home, Country Roads.”

MGK teased the song on social media on Thursday afternoon (July 18), offering fans a glimpse of the tune and what’s assumed to be the soon-to-be-released music video. 

The Song Samples “Take Me Home, Country Roads”

The song appears to be a play on “Take Me Home, Country Roads” as it samples the melody of the track, which was released in 1971. Since then, the song has been covered by numerous artists, including Olivia Newton-John. More recently, it was sampled by Kane Brown and Restless Road on “Take Me Home.”  

In the MGK/Jelly Roll version, MGK sings, “Lonely Road/ Take me home, Take me home/ Lonely Road.”  

Jelly Roll’s Wife, Bunnie XO, Will Appear In The Music Video

The video clip begins with Jelly Roll kissing his wife, Bunnie XO, seemingly to console her. It then quickly cuts to a shot of MGK being thrown onto the hood of a car and handcuffed. The scene then transitions to a funeral setting, where a group of people dressed in black are gathered, looking down into a grave. Before the video fades to the title, “Lonely Road,” MGK and Jelly Roll are seen walking ominously outside, both dressed in black.

“Countdown to KellyRoll activated. 🚧 thanks to John Denver for paving the way,” MGK captioned the post. 

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Bunnie XO was quick to share her excitement in the comments section, writing, “Let’s gooooo 🔥🔥.”

Fans also shared their excitement for the collaboration. One fan declared that MGK is the “most versatile artist out there,” while another celebrated, “mgk’s country era is here.” 

“Lonely Road” will officially be released on July 26. 

MGK Recently Performed In Nashville

Last month, MGK popped up in Nashville during CMA Fest where the alt-rock/rapper made an appearance at Spotify House performing songs such as “Bloody Valentine” and “Forget Me Too.” He also delivered a cover of The Chicks’ “There’s Your Trouble” and teamed up with Jelly Roll to perform “Need A Favor.”

Zach Bryan Cover

Recently, he shared a cover of Zach Bryan’s “Sun To Me.” The live performance, which was shared on YouTube, has raked in over 3.4 million views in just three weeks. 

MGK’s cover of “Sun To Me” debuted at No. 44 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs Chart earlier this month, marking his first appearance on the list of the most-consumed country tracks in the U.S.

The multi-genre singer isn’t the only star to crossover into country music this year, following Beyoncé’s country-influenced album, Cowboy Carter, and Post Malone, who will release his debut country record, F-1 Trillion, on August 16.  

MGK is no stranger to country music. He is often seen hanging out with chart-topping country star Dustin Lynch and earlier this year, he paid a visit to the iconic Grand Ole Opry. 

It’s unclear if he has plans to release a full-length country project at this time, however, there’s a good chance that it might happen.