Riley Green Reveals How Ella Langley Helped Bring ‘Don’t Mind If I Do’ To Life
“I couldn’t imagine anybody doing it better than she did…”
Ella Langley and Riley Green; Photo Courtesy CMA, ABC
Riley Green is sharing the story behind “Don’t Mind If I Do,” his second duet with his friend and tourmate, Ella Langley.
Green admits that he had been a fan of Langley “for a long time,” even before they shared the stage together on tour. He says instantly became a fan after meeting her through a mutual friend.
“I heard her voice and her twang and how country she sounded, and also that she loved what I would call traditional country music,” he recalled.
Green later invited Langley to join him on tour and in the midst of it, they recorded their chart-topping, platinum-selling, CMA Award-winning smash, “You Look Like You Love Me.”
On that same tour, Green wrote “Don’t Mind If I Do” and asked Langley to step in to help him figure out what key to write it in.
“I think I got her to come in the day I wrote it and just kind of hum to see if it was something,” the Alabama native revealed.
When it was time to lay down vocals in the studio, Langley stepped in once more.
“When I was in the studio recording it, I just called her to come by to put a vocal on it so I could play it for whoever I was going to pitch it to as far as the female and she just crushed it. I remember sitting there and she was like in a sweatsuit. She came by from the house and sang it and it was just…I couldn’t imagine anybody doing it better than she did,” Green marveled.
Recognizing that Langley’s voice was the perfect match for the song, Green decided to keep the track unchanged and released it as the title song of his latest album. Now, looking back, he feels like the stars aligned for it all to happen.
“It was cool for her to be on the song,” he said. “Also, having her out with all the success on the other song…so it’s kind of cool to have that accidentally work out.”
“Don’t Mind If I Do” is a stunningly beautiful heartbreak ballad that focuses on trying to move on in the aftermath of a breakup. Green wrote the song by himself and throughout the lyrics, he admits to struggling with missing his ex and dealing with the undeniable pain of not being together. Despite attempts to numb the pain with alcohol, the ex-lovers wind up admitting to missing each other and yearning for at least one more night together.
Of the song, Green shared, “I think a lot about the song’s cool to me. I like how it feels like an older country song. It’s got that traditional feel to it, but I’ve never heard a duet where the female just sang the last chorus and it was from her perspective.”
Riley Green and Ella Langley will perform “Don’t Mind If I Do” on the finale of NBC’s The Voice on December 10. Next year, fans can catch them on tour together once again on Green’s Damn Country Music Tour.
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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