Riley Green Covers Tim McGraw, Debuts New Song On Acoustic ‘Midtown Sessions’ EP
“I have always loved the acoustic versions of songs so I cut a few for y’all just the way I wrote them….”
Photo Courtesy Riley Green
Riley Green surprised fans on Friday with the release of a new acoustic EP, Midtown Sessions.
The stripped down set features five tracks, including the solo-written songs “Worst Way” and “Jesus Saves,” the fan-favorite “Change My Mind,” and the brand new track, “Bartender In Destin.”
The project also features a cover of Tim McGraw’s classic “The Cowboy In Me.” This isn’t the first time Green has put his own spin on a McGraw song. On his 2023 album Ain’t My Last Rodeo, he recorded “Damn Country Music,” which originally served as the title track of McGraw’s 2015 release.
Inspired by his love for ‘90s country, the EP takes things back to the basics, stripping away the noise and allowing Green’s Alabama-bred vocals to shine.
“I have always loved the acoustic versions of songs so I cut a few for y’all just the way I wrote them,” Green shared of the project.
Midtown Sessions Track List:
1. Change My Mind (Riley Green, Erik Dylan, Randy Montana)
2. Worst Way (Riley Green)
3. Jesus Saves (Riley Green)
4. Cowboy In Me (Al Anderson, Jeffery Steele, Craig Wiseman)
5. Bartender In Destin (Sam Banks, Nick Walsh)
Midtown Sessions follows the release of Green’s latest album, Don’t Mind If I Do, which arrived last October. The title track, which includes special guest Ella Langley, is set to arrive at country radio on July 21.
Green is currently in the midst of his Damn Country Music Tour, which kicked off in Canada earlier this year. The trek will make stops in New York, Chicago, Boston, the UK and more through November.
Additionally, on November 22, Green will host the second annual Duckman Jam with Jamey Johnson, Drake White, and Lauren Watkins.
Riley Green Tour Dates
July 12th, 2025 – Pendleton, OR – Pendleton Whisky Music Festival %
July 13th, 2025 – Chicago, IL – Windy City Smokeout %
July 18th, 2025 – Kettering, OH – Fraze Pavilion *-
July 19th, 2025 – Harrington, DE – Delaware State Fair %
July 20th, 2025 – York, PA – York State Fair %
July 24th, 2025 – New York, NY – The Rooftop at Pier 17 *@&
July 25th, 2025 – Boston, MA – MGM Music Hall at Fenway *@&
July 26th, 2025 – Gilford, NH – Bank of NH Pavilion *@&
August 1st, 2025 – Bethlehem, PA – Musikfest %
August 2nd, 2025 – Richmond, VA – Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront
August 7th, 2025 – Estero, FL – Hertz Arena *@&›
August 8th, 2025 – Jacksonville, FL – Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena *@&
August 9th, 2025 – Birmingham, AL – Coca-Cola Amphitheater *$-
August 16th, 2025 – Sainte-Hélène-de-Kamouraska, Canada – Lasso 2025 %
August 17th, 2025 – Calgary, Canada – Country Thunder Calgary %
August 21st, 2025 – Bonner, MT – KettleHouse Amphitheater *?-
August 22nd, 2025 – Idaho Falls, ID – Mountain America Center *?-
August 23rd, 2025 – Nampa, ID – Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater *?-
August 25th, 2025 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre *?-
August 28th, 2025 – Corning, CA – Obsidian Spirits Amphitheater *@-
August 30th, 2025 – Puyallup, WA – Puyallup Fairgrounds at Washington State Fair %•
September 6th, 2025 – Niagara Falls, Canada – Misty City Music Festival %
September 10th, 2025 – London, UK – O2 Forum Kentish Town /
September 11th, 2025 – London, UK – O2 Forum Kentish Town /
September 12th, 2025 – London, UK – O2 Forum Kentish Town /
September 13th, 2025 – Birmingham, UK – O2 Academy Birmingham /
September 15th, 2025 – Manchester, England – O2 Victoria Warehouse /
September 16th, 2025 – Glasgow, UK – O2 Academy Glasgow /
September 18th, 2025 – Belfast, UK – Waterfront Hall /
September 19th, 2025 – Dublin, Ireland – Olympia Theatre /
September 26th, 2025 – Washington, DC – Washington Nationals Park
October 4th, 2025 – Winnsboro, SC – Field & Stream Festival %
October 10th, 2025 – North Charleston, SC – Riverfront Revival %
November 1st, 2025 – Gonzales, LA – Boots on the Bayou %
November 6th, 2025 – Grand Rapids, MI – Van Andel Arena #~/
November 7th, 2025 – St Louis, MO – Chaifetz Arena #~/
November 8th, 2025 – Kansas City, MO – TMobile Center #~/
November 9th, 2025 – Phoenix, AZ – The Hondo Rodeo Fest %
November 13th, 2025 – University Park, PA – Bryce Jordan Center #~/
November 14th, 2025 – Toledo, OH – The Huntington Center #~/
November 15th, 2025 – Peoria, IL – Peoria Civic Center Arena #~/
November 20th, 2025 – Lincoln, NE – Pinnacle Bank Arena ~/
November 21st, 2025 – Oklahoma City, OK – Paycom Center #~/
November 22nd, 2025 – Little Rock, AR – Simmons Bank Arena#~$
December 12th, 2025 – Las Vegas, NV – Resorts World
December 13th, 2025 – Las Vegas, NV – Resorts World
May 30th, 2026 – Panama City Beach, FL – Gulf Coast Jam %
*Ella Langley
@Vincent Mason
#Jamey Johnson
~Drake White
$Lauren Watkins
-Preston Cooper
!Erik Dylan
&Wyatt McCubbin
?Mike Ryan
•Josh Ross
/Hannah McFarland
%Festival date
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.
