While some roots artists are content to stay in a country lane or adhere to the 12-bar blues, Parker McCollum’s Americana taps into those sounds and then spreads itself even further. Born in 1992 in the town of Conroe, Texas, McCollum’s family record collection shaped his musical taste. He came up on classic country and the Red Dirt tunes of his home state, and listened to timeless songwriters like Townes Van Zandt and Steve Earle while working on his grandfather’s cattle ranch. From that base, McCollum created a sound that made his first album, The Limestone Kid, one of 2015’s most exciting debuts from the Lone Star State—folky songwriting with twang that prioritized slice-of-life narratives over the bright, brash country-pop on the radio. The Limestone Kid explored life down home with songs like “Meet You In The Middle,” the story of a young man stuck in Texas when his girlfriend heads to California to follow her dreams. McCollum’s knack for left-behind and leaving songs allows for plenty of room to showcase his soulful voice, and 2017’s Probably Wrong had him sounding even bigger, with arena-sized rock moments like the finale of “I Can’t Breathe.” The melancholy 2020 single “Like a Cowboy” is a shining example of McCollum’s earthy lyrical nuance coupled with the stunning production he’s always deserved.