Baritone country newcomer Ryan Larkins ponders who sits on the throne of the genre with his debut single “King of Country Music,” which takes listeners through a journey of classic country artists before revealing the unexpected answer. Written by Larkins along with JR McCoy and Will Duvall, “King of Country Music” appears on his introductory EP, Meet Ryan Larkins, released October 13.
The laid-back crooner chatted with Music Mayhem about the inspiration for “King of Country Music,” writing “The Painter” for Cody Johnson, working with Jay DeMarcus of Rascal Flatts, and more.
Who Is The “King of Country Music”?
About five years ago, Larkins was driving around in Nashville listening to classic country music with his kids in the backseat when his oldest son asked, “Dad, who’s the greatest country singer of all time? Who’s the king of country music?” Larkins admits he was stumped. “I couldn’t narrow it down to just one. And I remember I was sitting at a red light on Charlotte Avenue and it just kind of hit me out of nowhere. I know exactly who the King of Country music is, and I wrote that song about it, and it’s one of my favorites I’ve ever written.”
The first verse details the impact of this “King,” being played in church and on the radio all across the country. “You can hear him in the church house on Sunday Morning / They still play him on the radio / You can hear his voice from Saginaw to Houston / It echoes down the halls on Music Row”
In the chorus, Larkins sings about possible contenders for the throne, including George Jones, Randy Travis, George Strait, and Merle Haggard, before revealing the surprise king of country music. “Some say Jones some say Travis / Some say Strait some say Haggard / Are sitting on the throne / All that’s well and good / Don’t get me wrong / But the king of country music is the song”
Why Did Ryan Larkins Name Drop George Strait And More In His New Single?
Larkins spoke about why each of the classic artists mentioned in the chorus have special meaning to him.
“To me, George Strait, he’s got probably my favorite country voice that I’ve ever heard, and it’s a storyteller’s voice, and he’s one of my favorites. Randy Travis, I love his voice and his songs. Merle [Haggard] has always been one of my favorites, and I remember I got to go see him with my grandmother and with my dad, and it was just a special memory. And so I wanted his name to be in there. And George Jones, he’s another one.” Larkins and his co-writers landed on those icons, writing that section of the song first, not even knowing it was the chorus at the time.
“We were talking about maybe making that the first verse. And I thought, yeah, maybe that’s the thing to do. But then this line, ‘you can hear him in the church house on Sunday morning, they still play ’em on the radio.’ And once that was said, it was like, okay, that’s the first verse. And so we kind of ran with that,” he added.
He Was Going To Pitch The Tune To Others Before Cutting It Himself
Larkins always felt that “King of Country Music” was his song, even though there had been conversations about possibly pitching it to other artists. The first time he performed it live was at Nashville’s Belcourt Taps.
“It was kind of a loud night. People were just walking around talking and nobody’s really paying attention. The two other people in the writer’s round, they played a song each, and then it was my turn and I played the song and people got quiet at the beginning of the song, and then we got to the end of the chorus and people clapped and everybody was paying attention. And I just thought, wow, this is really something special.” Every time he performs the song, he loves watching the crowd’s reaction. “When I’m playing it live, it’s amazing just watching people’s faces. And I try to not give it away when I set the song up.”
Who is Ryan Larkins?
Born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee, Ryan Larkins was surrounded by music and began his songwriting journey at just 12 years old. He developed his rich baritone voice and guitar playing skills at his home church, where he performed weekly and eventually caught the attention of Nashville’s music industry. Since landing a publishing deal with Sony Music Publishing, Larkins has written with musical legends like Tony Lane, Tom Douglas, Lee Miller, Craig Wiseman, Tim Nichols, Rhett Akins, Ben Hayslip and Country Music Hall of Fame member Bill Anderson. Those co-writing relationships have resulted in landing cuts by Tim McGraw, Cody Johnson, and a duet with Dolly Parton and Bill Anderson.
In early 2023, Larkins signed a record deal with Jay DeMarcus’ Red Street Records, marking his transition to an artist career. The Nashville native’s debut EP Meet Ryan Larkins includes five tracks, including the introductory tunes “She’s the Tough One” and “Man That Holds the Beer” released in August, as well as three new songs, “Dream Baby,” “Paid For It” and his debut single, “King of Country Music.” Larkins co-wrote all tracks on the EP, which was produced by DeMarcus.
Talks Working With Jay DeMarcus Of Rascal Flatts
As an artist on Red Street Records, Larkins has the opportunity to learn from seasoned veteran Jay DeMarcus of Rascal Flatts, producer and CEO of the record label.
“Jay is so incredible just watching him do his thing, and he’s just such a leader, and it comes so natural to him, and he tells people what he wants, and he’s encouraging,” says Larkins. “I’ve always been a fan of Rascal Flatts and just what he does, but I was blown away, even more blown away than I thought I would be just with the way he brought those songs to life.”
Larkins also heeded the advice that DeMarcus gave him about going on his first-ever radio tour. “I think the best piece of advice he gave me was just go in there and be yourself. And that’s something that I’ve kind of just held onto. There are so many great artists out there, but my favorite artists are their true authentic selves. And that’s what I’ve learned. That serves me well when I just stay in my lane, do my thing, and I’m just being myself. That’s the best version of me.”
Story Behind Cody Johnson’s “The Painter”
A prolific songwriter, Larkins’ most recent cut is “The Painter,” recorded by Cody Johnson. Larkins wrote the song about his wife of 15 years, Chauntay.
“I can’t really talk about it without getting choked up,” he admits. “She’s stood beside me through this whole process. And I was thinking about her one day when I was on a walk and I just thought, where would I be without this support, without this person? And I started thinking about how my world was black and white, but she’s a painter.” Not long before that, Chauntay had encouraged him to pursue music full-time. “She said, ‘Ryan, you’re working this job that you hate and you just have got to give music everything. We’re going to take a step of faith and God’s just going to open the door. I believe it,’” he recalls. “And so I went in the next day, I quit my job.”
Three months into his publishing deal, Larkins brought the idea to co-writers Benjy Davis and Kat Higgins. “I was talking to Benjy and Kat about my wife and just about this idea of the painter, and Benjy, he picked up the guitar, and he said, ‘She talks about the future like she’s flipping through a magazine’ and I just got chills from head to toe and the rest is history. It’s amazing. I can’t believe that song has just taken on a whole new life with Cody Johnson. And I feel so blessed, so fortunate, and it just means so much to me. His story, it feels so similar to mine. And I’m just so glad it found a home with somebody like him. And he’s so country. I love his version. It’s so good, so good.”
Upcoming Tour With Priscilla Block
Next year, Larkins will join Priscilla Block on her “Hey Jack Tour 2024,” marking another milestone in his career.
“It’s my first opportunity to go on a stretch opening for an artist, and I just can’t wait,” he shared. He’s thrilled to be opening for Block in particular, praising her down-to-earth nature. “She is so authentic. She’s the real deal. And just getting to open for her, it’s a dream come true.”
Ryan Larkins is still putting together his set list for the tour, but fans can expect to hear the songs and stories from his debut EP, as well as some covers of songs they know well. “I think what makes country music is a great song, and what makes a great artist is a great song [and] I can’t think of George Strait without thinking ‘Amarillo By Morning.’ I can’t think of Patsy Cline without thinking about the song ‘Crazy.’”
Now, Larkins is adding his own stamp on the discography of country music with his debut single “King of Country Music,” which makes him proud. “I want to come right out of the gate with this message and this story, this song. I’m so thankful that it is my first single on country radio.”
For more on Ryan Larkins, visit his official website HERE.
