Watkinsville, Georgia-born and -raised Gavin Adcock has the swagger that marked Jason Aldean for stardom. The 25-year-old Warner Nashville rising star was raised on his family’s cattle ranch and dreamed of being a PBR bull rider. But the former Georgia Southern football star, who started writing songs in high school, tore up his knee and fell back into the arms of music. Since doing so, he took his 30m streams for “A Cigarette” and raised the stakes with the swaggering “Don’t Run Your Mouth."
First record you bought/were obsessed with.
“Mamas, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys” by Waylon and Willie.
What drew you to country music?
I just came up around it, but it was more than just country. I remember riding in the truck and singing along to “Cowboy” by Kid Rock. I always found myself trying to sing like the folks I heard on the radio. My writing has always come out in a country-leaning way, but I have rock influences too. “Run Your Mouth” is a straight-up country-rock anthem, and “A Cigarette” is singer-songwriter country.
Best songs you’ve ever heard.
“There’s No Gettin’ Over Me” by Ronnie Milsap. It’s a good combination of the different genres of country within that one song. A little bluesy, a little country and very modern for its time. And “Remember When” by Alan Jackson; I can’t get through the song without shedding a tear. I can’t think of any further explanation needed.
If you were a superhero, who would you be?
Deadpool. He doesn’t take himself too seriously but gets the job done.
Hip-hop or Haggard?
Haggard, of course, but I love me some hip-hop too. When I played football we always had so much hip-hop and rap playing in the locker rooms, it sort of became our hype music before games. So it will always have a place on my playlists. Haggard is a legend. I don’t know that some of these older country guys get their credit today. When I say Haggard, it’s really all the guys from that time who paved the way for outlaw country. Outlaw wasn’t in for a while, but I love that it’s found its place again.
Dolly or Willie?
All the respect to Dolly, but Willie. He and I have a few more things in common…
In your opinion, what is country music?
To me, country music is a lifestyle. Everyone’s version is different. I think it’s a community of folks who see themselves in the music they make and listen to. It’s honest folk who have to go out and make a living with their bare hands. At least that’s what it is to me.
