Justin Moore
Chart-topping powerhouse Justin Moore proves that, through all the fame and success, he’s still just the same country boy he’s always been on his stellar new album, ‘Late Nights and Longnecks.’ Tipping its cap to Alan Jackson and George Strait, the record is Moore’s most traditional-sounding collection to date, a no-frills portrait of small-town life and big-time dreams that’s not afraid to let its hair down and party at the end of a hard day’s work. Equal parts celebration and reflection, the album is a showcase for Moore’s evocative storytelling and unforgettable voice, complemented by an all-star band featuring GRAMMY and CMA Award-winning guitar icon Brent Mason ACM-winning pedal steel hero Paul Franklin among others.
“I’ve never worked with those guys before, but they’ve played on some of my favorite albums of all time,” says Moore. “We thought it would be really cool to bring them in and record the whole thing at The Castle, this historic studio just south of Nashville where a lot of those legendary hit records were made. Not only did it result in my best album yet, it was also the most fun experience I’ve ever had recording.”
An Arkansas native who grew up idolizing Dwight Yoakam and Keith Whitley, Moore knows a thing or two about hit records himself. After signing to The Valory Music Co., an imprint of the Big Machine Label Group, he landed his first country #1 with “Small Town USA,” the breakout single off his 2009 self-titled debut. The record went platinum, as did its 2011 follow-up, ‘Outlaws Like Me,’ which yielded yet another #1 single with “If Heaven Wasn’t So Far Away.” In 2014, Moore landed the coveted New Artist of the Year trophy at the ACM Awards after releasing his critically acclaimed third album, ‘Off The Beaten Path,’ and in 2016, he dropped ‘Kinda Don’t Care,’ his third consecutive #1 record. The New York Times hailed Moore as proof that “old forms can stand even stronger with injections of new ideas,” while Billboard celebrated his “down-home personality and wry sense of humor,” and Rolling Stone praised the “upbeat mix of contemporary country and honest twang that he perfected.” Moore’s songs racked up more than a billion on-demand and programmed streams, and he performed everywhere from Kimmel to The Today Show in addition to headlining arenas and amphitheaters around the country.