Well-known in the music industry as the lead vocalist and a founding member of the rock group, Staind, Aaron Lewis switched gears and exposed his inner country roots with an incredible record that’ll speak to the hearts of country fans everywhere.
Launched in 2010, “Country Boy” became the lead single from Lewis’ solo country EP Town Line. Along with the widely talented Lewis, George Jones, Charlie Daniels, and Chris Young bring forth their remarkable skills on the track.
Certified platinum by the RIAA, this single soared high on the chart, landing squarely in the Top 100 on Billboard’s U.S. Hot Country Songs and became an anthem folks could truly relate to. Professional athlete and UFC contender Chad Mendes commissioned it as his walkout track and Lewis performed it live during a 2015 UFC match in Las Vegas.
The song tells a story about a country boy who has experienced success as a music artist under the thumb of a never-ending critic telling him to constantly change. In the end, the country boy stays true to himself and his roots, saying “a country boy is all I’ll ever be”.
During an interview with SongFacts.com, Lewis opened up about how the song is a direct expression of his story.
“I’m pretty damn proud of ‘Country Boy.’ Just because it’s my story. And no matter how many of those things that are in there are cliché country things, they’re true. And that’s the difference. I love that damn song. I didn’t go to Nashville and pick out from a catalogue of songs, songs that I felt fit the image that I was trying to portray. I wrote that song. I wrote all those songs. I mean, it is so old-school country, it’s awesome. And then there’s other flavors of it, too – there’s still flavors there that are teeter-tottering. I haven’t just completely lost myself in the country thing, if that makes any sense.”
Watch this incredible video about being true to your country roots below!
