(EBM) On the heels of announcing his headlining 25+ City Black Bandana Tour on Monday, Sony Music Nashville's Corey Kent has revealed his sophomore album, appropriately titled Black Bandana, will be released Sept. 6, 2024. The platinum-selling Kent has given fans a first listen of the project today with the release of heart-felt, new track, "Never Ready."
"There are a few virtues that I live my life by. They have guided me in the toughest and darkest of times. One being unwavering hope... believing if the odds are one in a million, you'll be the one," Kent shared regarding his forthcoming album. "Another being relentless perseverance... when everyone else quits, you stay the course. This album embodies those virtues. We all have our battles to fight. Our people to love and protect. It ain't always easy. When the going gets tough and you feel like waving the white flag, I hope this record inspires you to raise a black bandana instead."
Produced by Kent with Chris Farren and Austin Goodloe and written by Kent along with Austin Goodloe, Joybeth Taylor, Lydia Vaughan, new track "Never Ready" finds the father of three reflecting on the moments in life you can never truly be ready for whether it is the birth of your child or the loss of a parent.
You're never ready for that
Kinda hit you outta left field
Naw, you never saw it coming
How it'd make you feel
Seeing the nurse put your baby on her mama's chest
Trying act tough, but you're a train wreck
It's a half smile, half cry
Change your whole life feeling
That'll stop you in your tracks
People talk about it
And you thought about it
But that kind of heavy
Naw, you're never ready for that
Naw, you're never ready for that
"I'm so proud of this song," Kent said. "It's about those moments in life that no matter how much you prepare for, you're never ready for them. You know they're coming and but they're such big moments when they happen, it still feels like they hit you out of left field. A song about real life, love and loss...all the elements that make for a great country song to me."
It's been a breakout year for the gravel-voiced Blacktop singer. In addition to being named a CMT Listen Up Artist, as well as a member of The Opry Next Stage Class of 2023, he released his major label debut album, Blacktop, featuring the No. 1, Platinum-certified hit, "Wild as Her," and has already surpassed 750 million career streams. The album was a nod back to the Oklahoma native/Dallas based country star's many miles driving on the blacktop to hone his craft taking music to the fans anywhere he could play.
Never one to rest on his laurels, the road warrior is keeping his foot on the gas in 2024 burning up the blacktop once again with his just-announced headlining Black Bandana Tour. He will be joined by Braxton Keith, Kaitlin Butts, Max McNown, Karley Scott Collins and Lauren Watkins on select dates. The headlining international tour will kick-off in Paso Robles California on Sept. 21, and trek across both the U.S. and U.K. with stops in New York, Boston, Atlanta, Dublin, London and more into early 2025.
Drawing inspiration from The Eagles, Keith Richards, Turnpike Troubadours and more, Kent's bandana-wearing Rock 'N' Roll spirit comes to life on the stage. And after over a decade of paying dues, his career has not been without starts and stops ... that perseverance serves as the inspiration behind the tour's name.
"For us, the black bandana has been what we've picked up in times when everyone thought we should wave a white flag to surrender," shared Kent. "I've spent a lot of years raising my black bandana high and letting 'em know that I wasn't giving up that easy. I'm so excited to still be doing what I love and can't wait to get on the road this fall and see all those black bandanas waving back at me."
Kent finds himself musically at the intersection of rock infused country, heartland values, and red dirt grit. Still in his 20's, he has built an incredible fanbase, developed his live show for the last 15 years, and is positioned as one of country music's next breakout stars.
Last year the adventure-seeking road veteran joined Parker McCollum on tour in addition to playing festivals and in front of 15,000+ fans a night on Jason Aldean's 42-city Highway Desperado tour. To close out 2023 he headlined a slew of shows of his own before joining Ashley McBryde on the UK leg of her tour earlier this year.
Black Bandana Tour Dates:
+9/21/24 Paso Robles, CA BarrelHouse Brewing Co. - Brewery and Beer Gardens
*9/22/24 Long Beach, CA Boots In The Park
^9/26/24 Reedley, CA The Wakehouse
^9/27/24 Bakersfield, CA Buck Owens Crystal Palace
*9/28/24 Tempe, AZ Boots In The Park
<10/3/24 Hays, KS Fox Theatre
10/4/24 Durant, OK Choctaw Grand Theater (with Pat Green)
*10/5/24 Burkburnett, TX Friendship Festival
#10/10/24 Little Rock, AR Little Rock Hall
*10/11/24 Bellville, TX Austin County Fair
#10/12/24 Terrell, TX Silver Saloon
-10/16/24 New York, NY Gramercy Theatre
-10/17/24 Sayreville, NJ Starland Ballroom
-10/18/24 Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun - Wolf Den
-10/19/24 Boston, MA Paradise Rock Club
<10/24/24 Cincinnati, OH Bogart's
<10/25/24 West Lafayette, IN Neon Cactus
<10/26/24 Rootstown, OH Dusty Armadillo
^11/1/24 Milwaukee, WI The Rave II
#11/8/24 Wichita, KS The Cotillion Ballroom
#11/9/24 Stillwater, OK Tumbleweed Dance Hall
-11/21/24 Atlanta, GA Buckhead Theatre
-11/22/24 Charlotte, NC Coyote Joe's
-11/23/24 North Myrtle Beach, SC House of Blues
International Dates
2/1/25 Dublin, IE The Academy (Green Room)
2/2/25 Belfast, NI The Limelight 1
2/4/25 Glasgow, UK SWG3 TV Studio
2/7/25 Manchester, UK Manchester Academy 2
2/8/25 Birmingham, UK O2 Academy 2
2/9/25 Bristol, UK The Trinity Centre
2/11/25 London, UK Electric Ballroom
*Previously Announce Fair and Festival Dates
^Braxton Keith
< Kaitlin Butts
-Max McNown
+Karley Scott Collins
#Lauren Watkins
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