Raised in Jacksonville, Alabama—population roughly 14,000, worlds smaller than Birmingham’s population of 
196,000—Riley Green has woven his pride for where he’s from into the threads of his music. I still live there when I'm not on the road, and that's where I get a lot of my inspiration from, he tells us. It’s easy to see why Green sings of home so effortlessly. His stories about life in Jacksonville are the same humble experiences often romanticized in country music. He grew up surrounded by the outdoors, listening to country music legends, and playing football. His biggest heroes and role-models are his grandfathers who would later go on to inspire one of his most popular songs, I Wish Grandpas Never Died. Green shares, My granddaddy Buford was a huge fan of country music. He loved Roy Acuff, Merle Haggard, and George Jones, and that was how we bonded. My granddaddy Lyndon was a big outdoorsman, loved to hunt and fish, and that's what we did when I was with him, he reminisces. But when I was with my Granddaddy Buford, we sat around and played old country songs.

Green’s music has a distinctly homegrown quality to it with lyrics that paint pictures of life in a small southern town. He transforms southern manners and life lessons into relatable country songs like Raised Up Right featured on his second album Ain’t My Last Rodeo. He sings the lyrics he co-wrote, I learned to say, Yes sir from the first time that I didn’t […] A handshake don't mean nothin' if you don't look 'em in the eye / Hard work will make a boy a man / Yeah, I was raised up right. Green’s songs also often reference details from his hometown, including the names of specific roads and detailing memories from his childhood, placing his own personal stories at the heart of his artistry.

Green’s music captures the essence of small-town America, connecting his listeners to memories of their own versions of the places and people in his songs, and he feels an immense amount of gratitude for being able to write music about his life that resonates with his fans. I've definitely written a lot of songs that are about life experiences, certainly about my family and how I grew up. I Wish Grandpas Never Died is arguably one of my biggest songs, and I think it's probably because a lot of people relate to that and have had those relationships in their life too, he explains. Green’s single I Wish Grandpas Never Died, released in 2019 from his first album Different ‘Round Here, is gut-wrenchingly nostalgic as Green sings of longings for lost time and reliving past experiences. The song went on to become 3X Platinum-certified and Green’s video of his live performance of the song has over 9 million views on YouTube. With the single’s success, Green established himself as a voice for the country community within the country music industry through his real-life, no-gimmick lyrics.

As a songwriter, Green is inspired to continue writing songs that people connect with. “I tend to write a lot of sad songs, but when you see emotion in the crowd and people that are taking something that's really personal to you that you wrote and making it about their own life, it's very motivating. So, every show I play when people sing the lyrics back to me, it makes me want to go write more songs and write better songs.” In his own way, Green’s dedication to writing impactful songs echoes his small-town roots and the importance of community. Green’s music offers his listeners a space to find connection, comfort, and someone to feel at home with.

Despite winning multiple country music awards, touring the country, and collaborating with big name country stars like Dierks Bentley, Luke Combs, and Thomas Rhett, Green still calls Jacksonville home. I don't really have a whole lot in common with the big city, and even when I'm in Nashville I'm still thinking about how I grew up. His modest outlook on his music career is a reminder that the heartfelt voice on his country songs is not a persona, but the real Riley Green. His art is a true reflection of his humble roots and where he comes from. Even as he reminisces on the most memorable experiences of his career, Green views his successes through the eyes of the small-town boy he was growing up in Alabama. There's been a lot of things over the years that really stand out—playing the Ryman, playing the Grand Ole Opry for the first time. My grandparents got to come to that show. That was a big deal. I remember they thought I was famous when I played at the Opry. We did Red Rocks this year, a sold-out show at Red Rocks, which was huge for me, he tells us. So, it is cool to play some of these iconic venues that you grew up hearing about. And seeing crowds singing your songs back to you at those places is pretty cool.

As he continues to write new music, Green often thinks back to his early days starting out in country music because he is grateful to those who have supported him from the beginning. He shares, I grew up playing a lot of hole-in-the-wall bars and built a fan base, and I was really fortunate to have a lot of fans before I ever came to Nashville. Green’s dedication to his music is also a commitment to keep writing songs for those who connect with it. When I got up here [to Nashville], I knew what was working for me and I tried to write for those people that I saw on the weekends every time I played a show. And if I wrote a line or a song that did well, that they seemed to like, I tried to write more stuff like that. So, I really just kept doing what got me here. What got him here, undoubtedly, is his passion for home.

In the five years since Green released his first album, he’s been focused on making country music with the homegrown feel of the songs he grew up listening to. The way his songs speak to those from small towns and humble backgrounds like his are his inspiration to keep writing songs and telling stories people can connect with. He brings a humble attitude to the stage and holds the memories of his small southern town closest to his heart because they embody the sentiments that his music is all about. For Riley Green, singing and writing country songs is as natural to him as singing along to Merle Haggard’s Mama Tried with his grandpa at home on an Alabama farm.