A soundcheck video posted by Corey Kent in sweatpants sparked a reaction from viewers that centered on a particular track. That song is “Empty Words,” a ballad he recorded as a departure from his usual country sound. Kent uploaded it merely to meet his daily content targets, yet within three days, fans were singing it word-for-word louder than any other song in the set.
“Empty Words” was supposed to stay hidden, buried deep within Kent’s next record. He expected it to remain unnoticed. But instead, it rose up to become the track that took over. It climbed country charts, and his earlier single, “Rocky Mountain Low,” kept climbing alongside it.
The Soundcheck That Started It All
In early February, when “Rocky Mountain Low” was still climbing the charts, Kent posted the video, dressed in sweatpants and a hastily buttoned flannel shirt. “I looked like a mess,” he admits, explaining that he posted the performance simply to meet his content goals for that particular day.
The audience instantly knew the song, and the following concert confirmed that the recognition had not been a one-time event.
Fans Sang It Word-For-Word
At his next show, just three days after posting the video, fans showed up for “Empty Words.” “They sang it word-for-word, louder than anything in the set that night,” Kent recalls. “It was bigger than anything I could have ever imagined.”
By March, a Denver radio station picked up the track, followed quickly by Dallas and Nashville, and Kent didn’t just have two singles working for him — he had a hit on his hands.
The Album Behind the Hit
Heartland Rock and Roll, Kent’s new 16-track LP arriving this Friday, opens with “Empty Words”, a track that signals the record’s direction. Across the album, Kent stretches beyond the confines of his established sound, a body of work that includes two platinum singles and three Top 10 hits at country radio.
Hailing from Frisco, Texas, Kent was born in Oklahoma and draws his sound from Red Dirt and Texas country music, all the way through to the R&B and soul that gave “Empty Words” its melody. The artists who shaped him include John Cougar Mellancamp, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Ray Charles, Eric Clapton and Bobby Bland, along with the Boston and Eagles records he heard during middle school.
The Collaborations That Made It
At different points during the recording process, Austin Goodloe, Jon Randall and Chris Farran each took on production duties for the album. Kent and Koe Wetzel kept in touch through text as they worked on their collaboration together, and recorded the song as soon as they could. The same method was used by “Rather Be Here,” who worked with Jason Aldean.
“The one prerequisite for any collaboration was, they gotta be an actual friend,” Kent says. “If they are not actually somebody that I text on the regular, they were not gonna be a part of this record, because this is me.”
Lyrics Rooted in Home
Where Kent comes from is what the album’s lyrics recall. “Rather Be Here” is his take on a party anthem, complete with a “country band playing to a wasted crowd.”. It closes with “Bixby,” a reverent ode to the Tulsa suburb where he grew up and its “Friday night lights and oil fields.”.
Tour Dates and Live Shows
While Kent is working as Wetzel’s opening act on his Night Champion Tour, he is also putting out the record. The tour makes a stop roughly 20 miles north of Bixby at the BOK Center in Tulsa on Oct. 2.
Kent kicks off his Heartland Rock and Roll Tour in November, taking the stage at headlining spots such as Billy Bob’s Texas in Fort Worth and the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville.
The Live Show Mindset
Kent takes his live shows seriously and tasks his bandmates with evaluating their performances on off days. “We want to get one percent better every show,” he says. “The mentality of the show is, ‘Keep it high-energy but authentic.’ Don’t be running all over the stage just because you think that’s going to be more entertaining. Do what is natural.”
Even if that means posting a video in sweatpants.
The album arrives this Friday.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Oct. 2 | Night Champion Tour at BOK Center, Tulsa |
| Nov. | Heartland Rock and Roll Tour, including Billy Bob’s Texas and the Ryman |
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