American country music artist Parker McCollum is renowned for his emotional and sentimental tunes. Texas-born singer-songwriter and brilliant country music artist Parker McCollum has achieved outstanding success in the music industry.
He has received several honors and prizes during his career, with his debut album, “The Limestone Kid,” standing out as a tribute to his musical ability.
McCollum is a committed philanthropist who devotes his time and money to a number of charity initiatives in addition to his musical endeavors.
Early Life
Parker McCollum, who was born on June 15, 1992, is presently 31 years old (as of 2023). He is well known in the music industry by his full name, Parker Yancey McCollum, and is originally from Conroe, Texas, in the United States.
His love of music began to grow at a young age as he was growing up in a stable home close to Houston. Parker started developing his songwriting abilities at the age of 13 and started learning how to play the violin and guitar.
His early musical experiences laid the groundwork for his great singing career. He was influenced by well-known performers like Willie Nelson, Buck Owens, and Porter Wagoner and is now well-known in the industry as a singer and composer.
Family
Parker McCollum is the son of Anderson McCollum (the father) and Ivy McCollum (the mother). He was born in Conroe, Texas.
He gladly depicts his family as straightforward and dedicated, which has been a critical wellspring of motivation for him. Strangely, his brother Tyler McCollum likewise shared an energy for music, despite the fact that he didn’t seek after it as Parker did.
McCollum is currently in a relationship with his girlfriend, Hallie Light, a senior at Oklahoma State. McCollum’s song “Goodnight Hallie Ray Light” is a heartfelt tribute to his girlfriend and gained popularity among his fans. Their relationship seems to be serious and there might be an engagement in the near future which could be a pleasant surprise for their fans.
Career
- Parker moved to Austin, Texas after graduating and enrolled at Texas State University there. He then moved back to his hometown. McCollum’s music is a brilliant combination of different classifications, enveloping blues, roots rock, soul, and people rock, with nation and History of the U.S. being the prevalent styles in his collections.
- McCollum’s music has procured critical acknowledgment on Yankee folklore radio broadcasts, where it has gotten customary revolution. Strikingly, McCollum refers to Yankee folklore vocalist and lyricist Ryan Bingham as having a significant impact on his melodic excursion. Parker’s energy for music lighted during his grade school days, driving him to begin performing early on.
- MacCollum set out on visits with the Texas band Six Market Blvd, and on June 5, 2013, he delivered his presentation single named ‘Roadway.’ In this manner, he sent off his EP, “A Red Town View,” on November 19, 2013. His full-length collection, “The Limestone Kid,” appeared in 2015, highlighting eleven tracks that mirrored his childhoods in Limestone District, Texas. Nine of the melodies were composed by Parker himself, while two were contributed by his relatives.
- In 2017, he treated fans to a second EP titled “Probably Wrong: Session One,” which reached an impressive number 6 on the Billboard charts and sold more than 2,000 copies in the United States.
- On June 27, 2019, Parker signed a record deal with Universal Music Group, and his first single, Pretty Heart, was released. During his career, McCollum’s musical style was recognized as a harmonious mixture of blues, roots rock, soul, and folk rock, showing his artistic versatility and musical sophistication.
1. The Limestone Kid (2015)
The Limestone Kid, McCollum’s debut album, was recorded at Cedar Creek Recording in Austin and features elements of folk-rock, Americana, and Texas country music.
The Austin-based additional band of McCollum includes Kurt Grien on lead guitar, Jason Newberry on bass, Will Hoback on drums, Charlie Magnone on keyboards, and harmonica in addition to his vocals, acoustic guitar, and harmonica.
On February 24, 2015, The Limestone Kid‘s debut album was made public. The Austin Chronicle rated it three and a half of its five stars, stating that “it’s too early to declare The Limestone Kid debut of the year, but it’s already one to beat,” and equating McCollum’s music with that of Charlie Robison.
According to Texas Music Pickers, “[McCollum’s] stories are basically straightforward portrayals of life; they’re not all joyful, sad, or even resolved. It reminds me of Todd Snider and Whiskeytown.“
Texas Regional Radio Report indicates that “High Above The Water” made it into the top 50. Texas dates for a tour in support of the album by McCollum and his backup band were scheduled for venues in Houston, Austin, and Fort Worth in February and March.
2. Probably Wrong (2017)
On July 7, 2017, McCollum issued an album titled Probably Wrong: Session One. His debut album peaked at No. 6 on the Heatseekers Albums list, No. 14 on the Independent Albums chart, No. 15 on the Country Album Sales chart, and No. 16 overall on the Billboard charts. In its first week, 2,000 copies were sold in the US.
Shortly later, on September 8, 2017, the second session of Probably Wrong was made public. On November 10, 2017, the whole 10-track Probably Wrong album was released.
It contains all the previous sessions, including “I Can’t Breathe” and “Misunderstood,” as well as two brand-new songs, including “Hell of a Year.” The Grammy Award-winning Lloyd Maines produced the whole Probably Wrong album.
3. Gold Chain Cowboy (2021)
McCollum’s third studio album Gold Chain Cowboy was released on July 30, 2021, with typically favorable reviews.
He received praise for his composition from SavingCountryMusic.com, which cited “the strength of the choruses, and the unmistakable appeal these songs will find within their key demographic.”
This album is “sonically more polished than his first two albums,” according to Country Swag, and what “Parker McCollum does best on Gold Chain Cowboy is refrain from sounding like everyone else on country radio.”
In March 2022, he went on to earn the title of New Male Artist of the Year at the American Country Music Awards. McCollum made his rodeo debut in front of 73,243 spectators in March 2022 at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.
Now, let’s talk about some songs by McCollum.
| Song Name | Album Name | Releasing Year |
| Pretty Heart | Gold Chain Cowboy | 2021 |
| To Be Loved By You | Gold Chain Cowboy | 2021 |
| Hell Of A Year | Probably Wrong | 2017 |
| Handle on You | Never Enough | 2023 |
| I Can’t Breathe | Probably Wrong | 2017 |
| Like A Cowboy | Hollywood Gold | 2020 |
| Meet You In The Middle | The Limestone Kid | 2015 |
| Young Man’s Blues | Hollywood Gold | 2020 |
| Why Indiana | Gold Chain Cowboy | 2021 |
| High Above The Water | The Limestone Kid | 2015 |
Conclusion
- Parker McCollum’s work combines a wide range of musical styles, including blues, roots rock, soul, and folk-rock although his recordings have usually been characterized as country and Americana.
- He has cited American singer-songwriter Ryan Bingham as a major inspiration, and his work is frequently played on American radio stations in particular.
- Ryan Adams of alternative country music, Townes Van Zandt of blues and folk, John Mayer of pop rock, and George Strait of country music are some of McCollum’s musical inspirations.
- McCollum is a committed philanthropist who devotes his time and money to a number of charity initiatives in addition to his musical endeavors.