Country up-and-comer Landon Parker is bringing a classic honky tonk twang into 2022.
Videos by American Songwriter
The singer-songwriter released his debut EP, Hits Home, last week. Parker calls upon his North Carolina roots for the six-track endeavor, all the while leaning into lyrical content that feels distinctly modern. Parker has credited the likes of Travis Tritt and Brooks & Dunn as songwriting inspirations, and, judging by his latest EP, he is doing them proud.
For the project, Parker joined forces with Grammy-winning producer Blake Chancey, known for his work with The Chicks. Among the EP are singles “Good Beer Drinkin’,” Caught Me at a Good Time” and “Up For Anything.” Those songs certainly proliferated Parker’s name around the gilded streets of Nashville, but the three previously unreleased tracks that came along with the EP – “Hits Home,” “Beer By Beer” and “Godsend” – are equally buzzworthy.
Parker discussed with American Songwriter finally getting to share the project with his fans. “There’s some kind of relief,” he says. “We’ve been working on it since June and I’ve been so eager to get it out in front of the people. I’m curious to see all the feedback. So far, It’s been really good.”
When writing the album, Parker and his co-writers found themselves very much on the same page. All were missing home. All were “just so in love.” Those mutual emotions helped to produce the nostalgic air around “Hits Home” and the lovesick “Godsend.”
“Songs typically start out with the title for me. If I don’t have that, I don’t have something to write about,” Parker says of his songwriting process. “I also take from my personal experiences. I just recently got married and had a baby so all I’ve wanted to do is write love songs.”
While Parker delves into a wide range of topics on the EP, he says the overarching message he wants to leave fans with is to “take things one day at a time.”
“We picked the title Hits Home because I feel like it wraps everything up – I talk about home, fishing, beer and having a good time,” he explains.
Over the past year, Parker has been taking songs from the EP out on the road, appearing at festivals like TidalWave, SummerFest, and CMA Fest. Though he’s still making his way in the industry, he’s found the crowd reaction “pretty insane.”
“I know my original songs might not have millions of streams or anything but there were always people who already knew all the words and were singing along,” he says.
It’s not hard to get the anthemic choruses of Hits Home down pat. From the first listen, it’s easy to get on board with what Parker is handing out. Whether feeling homesick or in the mood to party, this EP has a track the listener can cling to. Hits Home is undoubtedly the first of many stellar projects from Parker.
Photo: Landon Parker Hits Home EP Cover
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