Braxton Keith Delivers New Single 'I Ain't Tryin'
(The GreenRoom) Schooled on the classics, and ready for the now, one of country music's most buzzed-about rising stars Braxton Keith continues to build on his momentum with the release of "I Ain't Tryin.'"
The dance-floor-ready dose of Western swing leans all the way into Keith's easy confidence and throwback twang, proving once again that classic country hits hard when it's done right.
It features Keith's casual charisma complete with a Bob Wills "haw haw!," mellow steel guitar, bright fiddle melodies that bounce from beat to beat and includes 19-year-old fiddle player Carson Peters, who co-wrote the track with Brice Long and Will Jones. "It's like a good pair of jeans that come back in style," shared Keith. "It's just good old country music."
"I Ain't Tryin'" arrives as Keith continues to cement himself as "one of country's hottest rising stars" (Holler). Fans and critics have already rallied behind Keith, with Rolling Stone freshly including him in their list of "Country Albums We're Excited to Hear in 2026" and Amazon Music naming him a "2026 Artist to Watch." He was also just named an "Artist to Watch in 2026" by Music Mayhem, who praised his "unshakable kind of momentum as someone with the sound of a future country megastar." "A devotedly country artist with the talent to join the ranks of today's surge of neo-traditionalist hitmakers" (Billboard) who "blends old-school honky-tonk with modern flair" (Country Central) and "layers each of his songs with a hearty Texas twang, whether it's a slow, heartbreaking ballad or an upbeat honky tonk tune, cleverly finding ways to deliver profound messages through his lyrics" (Whiskey Riff), Keith was Martin Guitar's 2025 Artists to Watch.
Addicted to the rush of the stage, the tireless road warrior has built his career one show at a time. He logged over 130 shows in 2025, supporting artists like Cody Johnson, Gavin Adcock and Luke Bryan, in addition to his own headlining THIS AIN'T MY FIRST TOUR Tour. With front rows packed night after night by fans singing every word, Keith's reputation as a must-see act continues to grow as his live performances have been touted for being "natural, effortless, and flawless... you can't help but be mesmerized. He's making country music cool to a vast cohort of people in Texas and beyond who cut their teeth on George Strait, but now have a country music hero from their own time and generation to celebrate" (Saving Country Music). It comes as no surprise that Keith has already kicked off the new year on the road, with first announced 2026 dates on the calendar including his inaugural trek to Australia as support for Riley Green and major festival like Stagecoach.
Upcoming Tour Dates:
1/16 - Cheyenne, WY - The Lincoln Cheyenne
1/17 - Deadwood, SD - Red Dirt Fest
1/23 - Little Rock, AR - The Hall
1/24 - Terrell, TX - Silver Saloon
1/29 - Tuscaloosa, AL - Two Dimes
1/30 - Starkville, MS - Rick's Cafe
1/31 - Bossier City, LA - Bulls Bands & Barrels
2/6 - Baton Rouge, LA - Texas Club
2/7 - Rosenberg, TX - Third Coast Bucking
2/12 - Kansas City, MO - Uptown Theater
2/13 - Saint Louis, MO - Hot Country Nights
2/14 - West Des Moines, IA - Val Air Ballroom
2/19 - Los Fresnos, TX - Los Fresnos Rodeo
2/21 - Austin, TX - Stubb's Waller Creek Amphitheater
2/22 - San Antonio, TX - San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo
3/13, 14 - Melbourne, VIC - Margaret Court Arena*
3/16, 17 - Sydney, NSW - Hordern Pavilion*
3/20, 21 - Ipswich, QLD - CMC Rocks Festival
3/28 - Winston-Salem, NC - Bulls, Bands & Barrels
3/29 - Isle of Palms, SC - Windjammer
4/11 - Somerville, TX - Chilifest
4/18 - Lubbock, TX - Cook's Garage
4/23 - Santa Fe, NM - The Bridge at Santa Fe Brewing Company
4/25 - Indio, CA - Stagecoach
4/26 - Santa Fe, NM - Santa Fe Brewing Company
5/8 - Faison, NC - Creekstone Rising Music Festival
5/10 - Saint Pete Beach, FL - Country Thunder Florida
5/24 - Monterrey Country Fest - Santiago, MX
6/7 - Lexington, KY - Railbird Music Festival
6/18 - Bloomington, IL - Tailgate N' Tallboys
6/19 - North Lawrence, OH - The Country Fest
7/8 - Chicago, IL - Windy City Smokeout
7/11 - New Salem, ND - ND Country Fest
7/18 - Eau Claire, WI - Eau Claire Event District
8/6 - Oshkosh, WI - XRoads41
8/8 - Sikeston, MO - Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo
8/15 - Imperial, NE - Chase County Fair & Expo
8/27 - Mount Morris, MI - Genesee County Fair
9/11-9/13 - Bristol, TN - Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion
*Supporting Riley Green
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