Drake Milligan Injects a Fresh Energy into Traditional Country Sound on New EP, ‘Jukebox Songs’
Prior to the release of his debut album, Dallas/Fort Worth, Drake Milligan spent five years honing his sounds and zeroing in on the artist he wanted to be. He had a hand in writing all 14 songs on the project and created a sound that earned him a rabid fanbase that flocked to his shows around the world.
With his artistic identity now firmly solidified, Milligan returned in mid-February with Jukebox Songs, a four-song EP that both captures and furthers what his fans loved about Dallas/Fort Worth: singalong choruses, rock-solid vocals, and enough fiddle and steel to please even the staunchest traditional country fan, all the while, maintaining a sound that feels fresh in today’s musical climate.
We talked to Milligan all about Jukebox Songs, as well as artistic growth, touring with Cody Johnson, playing overseas and more!
Image by Robby Klein
Pro Country: You signed to BBR Music Group in the early 2020s. Can you talk about the courting and signing process and how it felt to be joining such a talented roster of artists?
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Drake Milligan: BBR became the perfect home for someone like me. When I joined, they were one of the first meetings I took in Nashville. When I was shopping around for a record deal, BBR felt like the underdogs at the time. They’re not underdogs anymore because they’re killing it with some of the biggest artists out there [laughs]. It felt like they were willing to go through the development process with me, which is what I needed. I needed someone to be patient with me, and that’s what they did.
PC: You released your self-titled EP in mid-2021, which featured your now-signature song, “Sounds Like Something I’d Do.” In the time since its release, it has earned several millions streams and plays across platforms. What has it been like for you to see the life the song continues to have and what do you think it is about the song that struck a chord out of the gate?
DM: It’s been really cool! Especially because it’s a song that I was a part of writing. I co-wrote it with Terry McBride and Brett Beavers. That day was about as much fun as I’ve ever had in a writing room. It goes to show you that the more fun you have writing or creating something, it comes through in the music.
To be able to play that song all over the world and having people sing along with every word is pretty cool. Especially because it has that 90s country feel. It’s cool to see that there’s a place for music like that.
PC: You released your debut album, Dallas/Fort Worth, about two years ago. The album is split in two halves, with Dallas featuring more polished songs while Fort Worth captures a more honky tonk, swing style. How much did you enjoy getting to showcase both of those sounds on the album on one cohesive project?
DM: That record was the culmination of the first five years I spent in Nashville writing songs. I like to say that I’m trying to make old-school country in a new way. Dallas/Fort Worth gave us the opportunity to split those sounds up. Dallas is a big, sprawling city, Fort Worth is the more traditional side. That explains my music pretty well: I have the traditional side, but I’m also trying to reach for new things too.
PC: You released “I Got a Problem” as the lead single to your newest EP, Jukebox Songs, in late 2023. What drew you and your team to have “I Got a Problem” serve as both the lead single to the project and the first taste of new music after Dallas/Fort Worth?
DM: Singability. As soon as you hear that chorus, you can sing along by the end of it. It’s a fun song. After not releasing a whole lot of music for a while, it was cool to see people reacting to it and singing along to it at shows. It feels great singing it every night. It was an easy decision to go with that one as the lead single.
PC: You co-wrote track one on Jukebox Songs, “What I Couldn’t Forget,” with Derek Bahr and Marv Green. Can you take us in the room and talk about how the song came together?
DM: A lot of credit goes to Marv Green. Marv is one of the best writers in Nashville. I’m always sitting back in awe of him. He’s written some of my favorite songs from artists I love. He’s written a lot for George Strait; he wrote “It Just Comes Natural” and “True.” He came in with the idea for the song, and I knew exactly where he was going with it. We had the exact same vision.
We wanted to bring back the early-2000s country sound with that song. There was a revival of traditional sounds at that time, but something felt so new about it at the same time. It was an easy song to write, because I got to sit back and watch Marv do his thing.
PC: “Don’t Leave Me Loving You,” written by Ben Stennis, Bobby Pinson and Matt Rogers, has been one of the streaming favorites on Jukebox Songs since its release. Can you tell us how you heard the song and what drew you to record it?
DM: I listened to a ton of songs getting ready for this EP. I knew I wanted to involve the Nashville songwriting community and I wanted to get them excited about it. I heard the demo that Bobby sang. Something felt classic about the song. It has a message that anyone can relate to. I thought that I would love to sing that song every night, so I’m glad it found its way to me!
PC: “Jukebox Songs and Barstool Beers” closes its EP. With a name like that, what are a few of your favorite country music drinking songs?
DM: My kind of jukebox songs always start with Haggard. It always starts with “Swinging Doors.” That’s always been one of my favorite Merle tracks. Those early honky tonk, Bakersfield songs are my favorite songs to play on the jukebox: some Buck Owens, Wynn Stewart and guys like that.
PC: What do you hope listeners take away from Jukebox Songs after listening all the way through?
DM: I hope that people buy into the sound. I try to bring a nostalgic feel to my music; I hope it brings people back to that traditional country sound. I hope it makes them want more too, because I definitely do [laughs].
PC: You worked with a new producer, Trent Willmon, on Jukebox Songs. How much did you enjoy working with Trent and what was it like collaborating in the studio with him?
DM: Trent’s been great. It’s been so easy working with him. He’s a fellow Texan, and he really understands my sound. He gets what I want and lets me be free to give whatever insight I want into anything. He’s a guy that I’ve looked up to for a long time, so it’s pretty cool to be working with him.
PC: You’ve been sharing live clips of an unreleased song, “How Much Beer,” recently, which have received a great response from your fans. Are there any plans to return to the studio soon to record “How Much Beer” and any additional new material?
DM: Hopefully soon! I’m chomping at the bit to go in and record some new music. Hopefully very soon.
PC: You’ve been a part of Cody Johnson’s “The Leather Tour,” for several months, and have several dates left on that package. How much have you enjoyed being part of “The Leather Tour” thus far and playing arena shows around the country?
DM: It’s been awesome! Cody Johnson is a guy I’ve looked up to for a long time. I’ve been watching him play since middle school. Pretty much any time he came around Fort Worth, I’d go see him. I’ve seen him in small venues and watched the venues grow, so to watch him in an arena every night is pretty cool. I think he’s the best entertainer in country music right now. The way they’ve treated us has been awesome. I told Cody that: to watch the way he treats his band, crew and us is really special. It’s a special thing to be a part of. Getting to play arenas every night has been a great learning experience. That’s a new thing for me, so it’s been awesome!
PC: You also have several solo dates laid out both in North America and in the UK, with several of the UK dates already sold out. What has it been like to see the support ahead of those shows, and how much are you looking forward to staying busy on the road and bringing your music to new fans?
DM: Overseas has been crazy for us. It all started last year with C2C. We played a show at a theater over there too and got a great response. People really responded to it. We got to go back this year and play the main stages, which was awesome. To be going back and doing club shows is cool. There’s an old school kind of mentality over there. They gravitate towards traditional country music, and they respond to live music. The word of mouth spreads, they tell their friends and they all dive in. I can play any song off of the record, and it feels like they know it. It’s cool to go out there, see a new part of the world and to know that country music is so widespread.
PC: You mentioned earlier that Dallas/Fort Worth was the culmination of five years of songwriting in Nashville. Now that the album is a few years old and Jukebox Songs has been released, how do you feel you’ve grown through the process?
DM: I’ve definitely grown as an entertainer. We’ve played hundreds of shows in the last few years. You pick up so many things and learn so much from that. And singing every night makes your voice more comfortable. Some of the vocals on Dallas/Fort Worth are as old as 2019. I listen to it now and I can hear the differences in my voice from then to now. I feel like I’ve gotten comfortable with my voice. I feel like I’m at a place where I can take outside songs now. I co-wrote that whole record. That was the process of finding my sound and my voice. It was cool on Jukebox Songs to take some songs that I didn’t write and make them my own. It was a good feeling. It’s as fulfilling as writing a song. I remember sitting down with “I Got a Problem;” I learned it, sat down with my guitar and put my own take on it. It was a good feeling. I feel like I’ve grown a lot as an artist and who I am and what I want to say.
PC: With Jukebox Songs now a few months old and your busy touring schedule laid out, what else do you have planned for the rest of 2024?
DM: I’m looking forward to getting on the road! I’m looking forward to playing music for everybody. And I hope to go in and cut some new music for sure.
