Holler Nashville Sessions Presented by George Dickel: Owen Riegling

Over the years, country music has cemented itself as a genre that is truly countrywide. Not just pigeonholed to the south – though its offerings often talk of this region of the US – massive stars have popped up from every corner of America... and well beyond that, too. With Australian, British and Canadian artists making leaps and bounds in the mainstream arena in recent years, it's safe to say that country music is actually worldwide.

Canadian singer-songwriter, Owen Riegling, is the perfect example of country music's expansion. Having scored a few hits and several award wins in his home country in only a matter of years, he's also been opening up for acts like Tyler Hubbard, Chase Rice and more.

Stopping by the Holler Nashville Sessions, Riegling treated us to a trio of acoustic tunes, including the gravely homage to his hometown of Mildmay, Ontario.

"This is a song I wrote in college about missing home and it's done some cool things for me recently. I'm super, super thankful for that," he shared before breaking into fan-favorite, 'Old Dirt Roads'. Touching on the charms and pit falls of where he grew up, he sings: "I'd go back in a minute to the land of the wicked, wheat fields and old dirt roads".

Sticking to the small town state of mind, which lives throughout much of his growing discography, Riegling also introduced us to 'Dan'. Found on his newly released EP, Bruce County, he explained that he "met a fella named Dan, and I feel like if you're from a small town, you know somebody just like this".

Digging into his rockier and grittier side, while also showing off his impressive picking, we hear the story of your local blue collar, everyday man who lives and breathes the southern lifestyle down to a T. With something like 500,000 miles tacked on to his trusty Chevy pickup, running on a steady supply of nicotine and equal part church going and hell raising, it's the archetype of the southern man and infectious as can be.

Turning to his final offering, we see a much softer side to the country chameleon. As Riegling has enjoyed a swift rise that's seen him criss-crossing the US and Canada and seeing so many of his dreams materialize over the last few years, he's also been keenly aware of the personal cost that it's taken.

Before diving into his vulnerable 'Home Less', he shared: "This past year has been super crazy for me. I've been away from home more than I ever have in my entire life combined in the last twelve months. I've done a lot of bucket list things and played for a lot of country music fans, and I'm super grateful and thankful for all of it. But sometimes I find myself on long drives or on planes looking out the window and just letting my mind drift back to the people I'm not with".

Setting the stage for one of his favorite songs thus far in his career, he added: "That's sort of where the inspiration for this song came from. I love that I'm seeing more, but a little part of me hates the fact that I'm coming home less and less".

It's a stunning portrayal of the sometimes grueling but always invigorating artist lifestyle and the sacrifices needed to chase that tantalizing neon-tinged dream.

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