This weekend I got to see the Limestone Kid for the first time live and let me tell you, he did not disappoint.
Parker McCollum has been one of the fastest rising acts in Nashville since moving from Texas to sign a record deal with Universal Nashville. With two Number One’s, an ACM New Male Artist of the Year, selling out the Houston Rodeo, and confirming a collaboration with Ronnie Dunn on his upcoming 100 Proof Neon album, it’s been quite the ride for a kid from Conroe, Texas.
Saturday night he sold out the Red Hat amphitheater in Raleigh, North Carolina and it was a crazy good time. The fans were so into it, singing every word to most songs, not just the more popular ones, and the man knows how to put on a live performance,.
But my favorite part of the night was when he played a few unreleased songs. What’s better than a sneak peek at some stuff from an upcoming album (hopefully), right?
By far my favorite of the ones he played was one we’d heard acoustic before but when the rest of the band was added you just knew this one was destined to be a hit.
Called “Speed,” it’s a self-reflective song about Parker’s journey from smalltown Conroe to the big city dreams he’s living now, while realizing that he’s not going to be able to keep up this pace forever. In fact, many have told him throughout the years.
“Hammer down, never stickin’ around
Head harder than a tree
Foot on the gas, never lookin’ back
And always ready to leave
I remember shakin’ my head when my old man told me
“Boy, one of these days you won’t always be hung up on speed.”
Yeah, this one’s a banger, plus you’ve gotta love the play on words with “hung up on speed,” that’s good stuff.
No word on the new album yet, but we’ll be I’ll be excited when it comes.
