When country music newcomer Drake Milligan moved from Fort Worth to Nashville, he didn’t just come here to sing. He came to listen.
At just 19 years old, armed with an appreciation for the history of country music, Milligan listened in co-writes and recording sessions, where songwriters taught him how to tell a story, legendary producers taught him how to use the mics and studio as a vehicle for his voice, seasoned musicians were willing to back the new guy, and his country music heroes shared insightful advice on how to seamlessly shift from the studio and the stage — letting things snowball from there.
Now at 23 years old, having taken in all that wisdom, he’s ready to introduce himself to the world with the release of his debut EP, Drake Milligan. The result is his debut EP, stacked with five songs all co-written by Milligan, packed with everything country music fans want. Milligan layers the fiddle and steel in the trouble-drowning, alcohol-soaked “Over Drinkin’ Under Thinkin’” and rediscovers the lost art of fast talking in the upbeat, rebellious “Sounds Like Something I’d Do.” But it’s not all up tempo toe-tappers. It’s in the ballads that he really showcases his deep, smooth as silk vocals. “Don’t Look Down” has Milligan painting a picture of falling in love on a dance floor, defying gravity thanks to the honky-tonk’s trusty old jukebox, and “She” is a beautifully simple but emotive depiction of a lovesick boy completely in love with a girl, as he lists off everything he loves about her.
