Deeply Personal Release Marks Second Project Drop in Under Six Months
NASHVILLE, TN (October 25, 2024) — Less than six months after releasing his buzzed-about solo debut on Big Machine Records, DIAMOND-selling Country superstar Brian Kelley is back with the deeply personal album, Ed & Mary Margaret’s Son. Written solely by Kelley, the full-length project features 12 of the most authentic and diverse songs of the hitmaker’s already-groundbreaking career. Available across all streaming platforms and digital retailers today (10/25), listen here.
A deep dive into Kelley’s identity, as well as an exploration of family ties, rural values, and the legacy we leave behind, the set follows the May 2024 release of Tennessee Truth, as a creative trailblazer ignores conventional wisdom, feeling too inspired to hold back. Shaking up his usual collaborative style, a burst of creativity found Kelley deciding not to wait on his chart-topping stable of co-writers to finish off songs. Instead, he looked within for more inspiration, and came away with fresh appreciation for his craft.
“I’m probably more excited than ever to be making music and writing songs. I’m in a place in my life where I’m going to record and write whatever I want and put it out whenever I want, and that excites me. I just have so much freedom to go wherever my creativity and my authenticity takes me. So that just fires me up,” shares Kelley. “To be honest with you, this record caught me off guard. But once I had an inkling of what it could be, and what was happening, it was a moment I didn’t want to pass up.”
Covering vivid personal themes with a unique clarity of voice – from heart-on-his-sleeve pride to his keenness for a party anthem, a little waterfront wisdom, self-manifestation, and more – the new tracks were penned over the last few months, then recorded and produced with Katlin Owen at the helm as executive producer and co-produced by Caleb Gilbreath, and featuring much of Kelley’s touring band.
Shortening the distance between a song’s creation and release by years, Ed & Mary Margaret’s Sonalso removes all filters between Kelley and his fans – which is easy to hear in “If I Go First.” Filled with quiet passion and built on a tender mix of acoustic-Country sonics, the ballad is dedicated to Kelley’s wife of over 10 years, Brittney, promising eternal love even after their earthly vows are complete. Listen here and watch the Charlton Combs-directed music video.
Early releases include Kelley’s boldly unapologetic message of self-sufficiency with “Put Myself On,” plus the compassionate anthem “Hold On, Cowboy.” Elsewhere, up-tempo tunes like “Shit Kickers” celebrate those who wear their work boots like a badge of honor, and the heartfelt “Heaven In A Holler” describes the simple perfection of a country life, grounded in family and faith.
Meanwhile, the album’s revealing nature is best highlighted by the title track, “Ed & Mary Margaret’s Son.” A warmhearted tribute to the parents who just celebrated their 51st anniversary and remain Kelley’s inspiration, the star sees it as a tender declaration of “what I believe in, what I stand on, and what I’m proud of.”
“What I want fans to know and feel is that these are all brand-new songs,” he says. “These aren’t songs that were written two or three years ago, this is a chapter in time. It’s a season, and the way this record sounds, it’s the soundtrack to my life these past couple months. So, I just went for it.”
ED & MARY MARGARET’S SON TRACK LIST
1. “Rockin’ Randall”
2. “Shit Kickers”
3. “Cowboy Gold”
4. “Hit A Lick”
5. “Heaven In A Holler”
6. “Ed & Mary Margaret’s Son”
7. “The Board”
8. “Hold On, Cowboy”
9. “Put Myself On”
10. “Too Pretty A Place To Fight”
11. “If I Go First”
12. “Back Pocket Blues”
Written by Brian Kelley
Executive Producer Katlin Owen and Co-Produced by Caleb Gilbreath
With Tennessee Truth still making waves, Ed & Mary Margaret’s Son arrives on the heels of a series of summer and fall tour dates. Kelley also recently completed a round of intimate SURF POST SESSIONS – a SOLD-OUT series of stripped-down shows hosted in the backyard of their Tribe Kelley Surf Post in Grayton Beach, FL.
KEEP UP WITH BRIAN KELLEY
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ABOUT BRIAN KELLEY: DIAMOND-selling superstar Brian Kelley enters the next chapter of a record-breaking, history-making career with his sophomore album, Ed & Mary Margaret’s Son. A follow-up to his debut Tennessee Truth and the Deluxe edition via Big Machine Records, Kelley wrote the full-length project solely by himself. With a sold-out run of headline shows and SURF POST SESSIONS live from Tribe Kelley Surf Post in Grayton Beach, FL – owned by the Ormond Beach native and his wife Brittney, Kelley continues to diversify his thriving enterprise with collaborations including Tribe Kelley (with Brittney), Papa Surf Burger Bar (with Brittney; Jason and Brittany Aldean; Tom and Chris Glavine), and a partnership with Real American Beer. First known as the Florida half of the GRAMMY-nominated Florida Georgia Line, the ACM Breakout Artist of the Decade Award recipients garnered 19 career No. 1s and became the first and only act to achieve two RIAA DIAMOND singles in Country music history (14X PLATINUM No. 1s: “Cruise” and “Meant to Be” with Bebe Rexha). Surpassing 17 billion global streams, selling more than 40 million tracks and 4.8 million albums worldwide, plus playing to over 4 million fans, FGL has been honored by AMA, Billboard, CMA, and CMT Music Awards, as well as having a Florida Georgia Line: Mix It Up Strong exhibit at Nashville’s Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.
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