Country artist Parker McCollum talks songwriting, leaving a legacy and Abilene show

Texas country artist Parker McCollum brings his Burn It Down Tour to Abilene starting at 7:30 p.m. April 4 at the Taylor County Coliseum.

McCollum spoke with the Reporter-News about his upcoming concert while he was spending a day off at his “little haven” in South Texas.

Born in Conroe, McCollum grew up with country music by Tim McGraw, Kenny Chesney and Gary Allen as main inspirations for his artistry. He learned violin, guitar and harmonica to write his own music in childhood, setting the stage for his success.

McCollum broke through the country music scene after signing with a major record label in 2019. His two previous indie albums made waves with the 2021 release of his third studio album.

In 2022, he won two awards — Academy of Country Music Awards’ New Male Artist of the Year and CMT’s Breakthrough Video of the Year — and was nominated for the Country Music Association’s New Artist of the Year.

On March 19, McCollum was announced as an opener for his personal hero, the king of country music, George Strait on June 15 in College Station at Kyle Field.

“I still feel like a kid out here chasing a dream, truly,” he said.

Although the singer's resume holds lots of achievements, his authenticity and vulnerability make him a standout to country music fans.

“I am a far fall from anything celebrity, certainly, do not feel like one of those or consider me one of those by any stretch of the imagination," he said. "I just try to write songs that can stand the test of time. Music that makes you think, you know, where you’re so lost in thought, songs that just pull at your heart."

McCollum often reflects on personal memories to tap into his emotional side when songwriting.

“I love sad songs, and I always have. It’s like a drug for me. At least once a day, something reminds me of my childhood, or the way I grew up or even just a few years ago when I was first coming up," he said.

"It was such a wild, crazy, no responsibility time, and it kind of breaks my heart as I realize those days are never coming back, and it makes you miss the good,” McCollum said.

Just a couple of days prior, while his wife was cooking dinner, McCollum found himself writing a song called “Sunny Days” about how lucky he felt to have his life while missing the days that are gone.

“I’m not going to cry talking about writing a song because I’ve been trying to write this song for 10 years. I sat down, picked up the guitar and played the same few chords I had played for 15 years, and I wrote the entire song in 30 minutes,” McCollum said.

“It just fell out of me thinking that this is how I feel every day. I've got the greatest wife on the planet, the greatest family on both sides of my family in the world, the best siblings, the best team, the most ridiculously lucky career of all time — not the biggest or the best — just the most lucky," he said.

"And I feel it still breaks my heart thinking the good days are gone forever, and they’re never coming back," McCollum said.

With an industry motivating artists to reach the top and create a lasting impression for generations to come, McCollum said he is not driven to leave a legacy but rather to instill connections with his fans and share his love for country music.

“I hope the people who meet me or who listen to my music feel like they're heard and seen," he said.

"I’ve always hoped that through interactions with me and seeing how I treat people the way I was raised to, leaves them thinking, ‘This man is inherently good,’ because you want people to believe you and know that this is really you,” McCollum said.

“I’m around a lot of people who are very full of themselves, and I would be heartbroken to know I came off a different way than what I am,” he said.

McCollum’s Abilene concert has general admission tickets available and limited ticketed seats remaining as of Tuesday. Check out the Taylor County Expo’s website to purchase tickets and find event information.

If interested in attending another show in the Burn It Down Tour 2024, check out the Parker McCollum website for details.

This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Parker McCollum exclusive: songwriting, legacy and Abilene show