Riley Green

Biography

Johnathan Riley Green (born October 18, 1988) is an American country music singer-songwriter. He has been with Nashville Harbor Records & Entertainment formerly BMLG (Big Machine Label Group) since 2018 and has released four albums: Different 'Round Here in 2019, Ain't My Last Rodeo in 2023, Don't Mind If I Do in 2024, and That's Just Me in 2026. His debut and third albums have been certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America. During his career, he has had multiple Top 20 hits on the Billboard Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay charts.

Background

Johnathan Riley Green was born on October 18, 1988 in Jacksonville, Alabama. He learned to play music from his grandfather, Buford Green, who ran a venue (The Golden Saw). Riley performed weekly at the music hall, a converted sawmill, at the time. While at Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, he was a quarterback for the Gamecocks NCAA Division I football team. He was also a contestant on the CMT reality show Redneck Island.

2013–2018: Beginning of his career

Riley Green released a self-titled EP in 2013, followed by EPs in 2015, 2016, and 2017. In 2018, he signed to the Big Machine Label Group. His debut single, "There Was This Girl×There Was This Girl29 June 2019 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1There Was This Girl3:14", was released on August 6, 2018. Billy Dukes of Taste of Country reviewed "There Was This Girl" favorably, comparing its theme to "Chicks Dig It" by Chris Cagle and noting a more neotraditional country influence in the music compared to Green's peers. The song achieved commercial success and was on several country music charts including No. 1 on Country Airplay in April 2019.

2019–2023: Different 'Round Here and Ain't My Last Rodeo

In April 2019, Green announced the release of his second single, "In Love by Now×In Love by Now8 February 2019 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1In Love by Now3:27", co-written with Rhett Akins, Ben Hayslip, and Marv Green; Riley released an accompanying music video shot in Belize. "I Wish Grandpas Never Died×I Wish Grandpas Never Died5 August 2019 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1I Wish Grandpas Never Died4:07" was released in August 2019 as the third single from Riley Green's debut album, Different 'Round Here, which came out on September 20, 2019. The Academy of Country Music presented Green with the New Male Artist of the Year Award for 2019. In 2022 and 2023, he served as direct support (opening act) on major stadium tours for Luke Combs and Morgan Wallen. He collaborated on a song with Justin Moore for Moore's 2023 album Stray Dog. On October 13, 2023, Green released his second studio album, Ain't My Last Rodeo. The album featured a re-recorded version of "Different 'Round Here" as a duet with Combs.

2024–present: Don't Mind If I Do, That's Just Me, and television roles

Green released his third studio album, Don't Mind If I Do, on October 18, 2024. The album's title track is a duet with Ella Langley. In April 2026, it was reported that he would portray Garrett Garvey, Cal's and Kayce's former Navy SEAL teammate in a 4-episode arc on Marshals, making his acting debut on April 19, 2026. Green's Cowboy As It Gets Tour began in April 2026 and concluded in August 2026. In May 2026, he was nominated for Best Male Country Artist at the 2026 American Music Awards. His fourth studio album, That's Just Me×That's Just Me18 September 2026 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 19 tracks1My Way4:032That's Just Me3:503Don't Come Any Closer3:284Go Again4:005Imagine That3:406Got That From You3:107Bartender in Destin3:158Beach Happy3:069Think as You Drunk3:4910Well Well Whiskey4:0711P.O.S.4:1712Runs in the Family3:2913Pave All Them Red Dirt Roads3:4614Lookout Mountain3:3515Seven Second Ride3:2216Radio Road3:5217Ol' Stray Dog3:3118More of a Man Than Me3:0519Ten Pairs of Boots3:43, was released on September 18, 2026. Two of the singles from the album, "My Way×My Way17 April 2026 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1My Way4:03" and "Think as You Drunk×Think As You Drunk28 May 2026 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Think as You Drunk3:49", were released in April and May of 2026, respectively. In late 2026, he debuted as a coach on the 30th season of the reality television series The Voice.

Personal life

Green lives near his hometown of Jacksonville, Alabama and his hobbies include hunting and fishing. He is noted for having a passion for duck hunting and was branded "Riley Duckman" by friends in Alabama. Green has since embraced the nickname in multiple aspects of his career.

Controversies

In late 2019, Green drew controversy for a line in his song "Bury Me in Dixie×Bury Me in DixieJanuary 2018 · EPSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 6 tracks1Bury Me in Dixie3:082Chasin’ This Drunk3:103Can’t Write a Love Song3:514Never Done It Sober3:535Trouble With You2:486Whiskey Wears Off2:52" which referenced Confederate general Robert E. Lee. Green removed the song from streaming services in October 2019. He denied any racial motive for referencing Lee, saying the lyric was an expression of "pride and heritage in what I grew up around". He said that avoiding controversy was not the motive for removing the song from streaming services, citing concerns about poor audio quality instead. The song returned to streaming services a few months after the controversy.

Headlining

Outlaws Like Us Tour (2018)
Get That Man a Beer Tour (2019)
We Out Here Tour (2021–22)
Ain't My Last Rodeo Tour (2024)
Damn Country Music Tour (2025) (with Ella Langley)
Cowboy As It Gets Tour (2026)
That's Just Me Tour (2027)

Opening

2019 Heartache Medication Tour (Jon Pardi) (2019)
2019 World Tour (Brad Paisley) (2019)
We Back Tour (Jason Aldean) (2020)
Beers on Me Tour (Dierks Bentley) (2021)
Raised Up Right Tour (Luke Bryan) (2022)
Luke Bryan Farm Tour 2022 (Luke Bryan) (2022)
Luke Combs Canadian Tour (Luke Combs) (2022)
Luke Combs World Tour (Luke Combs) (2023)