BIO

Justin Moore’s never been one to follow the pack. A multi-platinum, chart-topping country star who left Nashville behind for the simple pleasures of small-town Arkansas life, Moore’s built his remarkable career playing by his own rules, eschewing trends and spotlight-chasing in favor of an honest, old-school approach to making records and connecting with audiences.

“A long time ago I decided I wasn’t going to play games or pursue things that didn’t make me happy,” Moore reflects. “Perhaps that’s made me a bit of an outsider in this industry, but it’s also what allows me to go to bed each night feeling good about what I’m doing.”

It makes perfect sense, then, that Moore would call his captivating new album Stray Dog. Captured at the historic Castle Recording Studios in Franklin, Tennessee, the collection showcases Moore at his most self-assured, tapping into the raw energy of his electrifying live show as he delivers heartfelt stories of desire and commitment, heartbreak and regret, joy and celebration. The songs are mature and nuanced, rooted in the rewards and challenges that come with embracing adulthood, and the production is similarly refined, drawing on classic country even as it pushes firmly into the 21^st century. Sure, there’s plenty of good times and whiskey to be found on the album, but Stray Dog is ultimately a powerful work of reflection from an artist who’s grown to understand himself on a deeper level than ever before, one who’s willing to engage in the hard work that comes with building not just a career, but a life of meaning and purpose.

“Faith and family have always come first for me,” says Moore. “If you’re taking care of those two things, everything else will fall into place.”

Born and raised in Poyen, Arkansas, Moore landed his first country #1 with “Small Town USA,” the breakout single off his 2009 self-titled debut for The Valory Music Co. (an imprint of the Big Machine Label Group). The record went platinum, as did its 2011 follow-up, Outlaws Like Me, which yielded yet another #1 single with “If Heaven Wasn’t So Far Away.” In the years that followed, Moore would go on to land nine more #1 singles, take home the coveted New Artist of the Year trophy at the ACM Awards, rack up more than a billion streams across platforms, record with the likes of Miranda Lambert and Thomas Rhett, and perform everywhere from Jimmy Kimmel Live to The Today Show. Critics found much to love in Moore’s music, too: The New York Times hailed his songs as proof that “old forms can stand even stronger with injections of new ideas,” while Billboard celebrated his “down-home personality and wry sense of humor,” and Rolling Stone praised the “upbeat mix of contemporary country and honest twang that he perfected.”

“The support I’ve received over the years has been amazing,” says Moore, “but when the pandemic hit and we had to stop touring, I found myself struggling a bit. I was certainly grateful for all the extra time at home with my family, but like a lot of artists, I also felt a little lost without the sense of professional purpose that came with being onstage and performing every night.”

Hungry for connection with his fans, Moore decided to launch a podcast with longtime tour manager J.R., pulling back the curtain on his life as a musician through a mix of storytelling and interviews with a broad range of artists, actors, athletes, and politicians. Moore’s skills as a host and interviewer caught the attention of popular Arkansas sports radio station 103.7 The Buzz, which eventually led to yet another side gig as co-host of the station’s beloved Morning Mayhem show.

“I grew up with as much passion for sports as I’ve got for music,” says Moore, who coaches youth teams for all four of his kids. “Growing up in Arkansas, the Razorbacks were the only game in town, so to have the opportunity to talk about them on a daily basis and interview and become friends with some of these folks who were my childhood heroes has just been incredible.”

As the world began opening back up, Moore balanced his new on-air responsibilities with playing his first full-capacity shows in years, and he fell in love with the energy and exhilaration of touring all over again.

“It was just a really exciting time for me,” he recalls. “As a parent, I was watching my kids get back to school and see all their friends every day, and as an artist, I was back onstage doing what I love most and sharing that with my bandmates and the fans.”

That excitement carried over into the studio, where Moore and the band captured the majority of Stray Dog live over the course of just a few days. Opener “Everybody Get Along” sets the stage, with a loose, playful spirit of camaraderie between Moore and special guest Riley Green, who spin a friendly rivalry into a declaration of unity in the face of tension and division. “In a world where all we do is fight and fuss and disagree,” they sing, “why can’t everybody get along like you and me?” Like much of the album, the track balances wry turns of phrase with an underlying sincerity, and repeated listens are rewarded with deeper layers of meaning. The soaring “That Wasn’t Jack,” for instance, turns a down-home southern saying into an emotionally vulnerable revelation, while the tender “Better Slow” meditates on taking your time in a world obsessed with instant gratification, and the blissful “Country On It” revels in the laidback joys of country living. While Moore gets romantic on the heartfelt “With a Woman You Love” (his latest #1 single) and taps into an even more sensual side on the simmering “You, Me, And Whiskey” (a duet with rising star Priscillia Block), he doesn’t shy away from good old fashioned party songs here either, delivering perhaps the most freewheeling performance of his career with the lighthearted “Get Rich Or Drunk Trying.” It’s ultimately the slow-burning “Stray Dogs,” though, that best encapsulates the record, with Moore proclaiming, “I’m the wild and free kind of breed that’ll always be / Running with the stray dogs.”

“It’s a really personal, autobiographical song,” Moore reflects. “I’ve never just gone along with the crowd. I’ve always tried to follow my heart and let the chips fall where they may, and I’m really proud of that.”

With an album like Stray Dog, there’s plenty for Justin Moore to be proud of.

MEDIUM BIO

Justin Moore’s never been one to follow the pack. A multi-platinum, chart-topping country star who left Nashville behind for the simple pleasures of small-town Arkansas life, Moore’s built his remarkable career playing by his own rules, eschewing trends and spotlight-chasing in favor of an honest, old-school approach to making records and connecting with audiences.

“A long time ago I decided I wasn’t going to play games or pursue things that didn’t make me happy,” Moore reflects. “Perhaps that’s made me a bit of an outsider in this industry, but it’s also what allows me to go to bed each night feeling good about what I’m doing.”

It makes perfect sense, then, that Moore would call his captivating new album Stray Dog. Captured at the historic Castle Recording Studios in Franklin, Tennessee, the collection showcases Moore at his most self-assured, tapping into the raw energy of his electrifying live show as he delivers heartfelt stories of desire and commitment, heartbreak and regret, joy and celebration. The songs are mature and nuanced, rooted in the rewards and challenges that come with embracing adulthood, and the production is similarly refined, drawing on classic country even as it pushes firmly into the 21^st century. Sure, there’s plenty of good times and whiskey to be found on the album, but Stray Dog is ultimately a powerful work of reflection from an artist who’s grown to understand himself on a deeper level than ever before, one who’s willing to engage in the hard work that comes with building not just a career, but a life of meaning and purpose.

Born and raised in Poyen, Arkansas, Moore landed his first country #1 with “Small Town USA,” the breakout single off his 2009 self-titled debut for The Valory Music Co. (an imprint of the Big Machine Label Group). The record went platinum, as did its 2011 follow-up, Outlaws Like Me, which yielded yet another #1 single with “If Heaven Wasn’t So Far Away.” In the years that followed, Moore would go on to establish himself as one of modern country music’s most reliable artists, landing nine more #1 singles, taking home the coveted New Artist of the Year trophy at the ACM Awards, racking up more than a billion streams across platforms, recording with the likes of Miranda Lambert and Thomas Rhett, and performing everywhere from Jimmy Kimmel Live to The Today Show.

SHORT BIO

Justin Moore’s never been one to follow the pack. A multi-platinum, chart-topping country star who left Nashville behind for the simple pleasures of small-town life, Moore’s built his remarkable career playing by his own rules, eschewing trends and spotlight-chasing in favor of an honest, old-school approach. It makes perfect sense, then, that he’d call his captivating new album Stray Dog. Mature and nuanced, the collection showcases Moore at his most self-assured, tapping into the raw energy of his live show as he delivers poignant stories of desire and commitment, heartbreak and regret, joy and celebration. Sure, there’s plenty of good time anthems here, but Stray Dog is ultimately a powerful work of reflection from an artist who’s grown to understand himself on a deeper level than ever before, one who’s willing to engage in the hard work that comes with building not just a career, but a life of meaning and purpose.

Born and raised in Poyen, AR, Moore landed his first country #1 with “Small Town USA,” the breakout single off his 2009 self-titled debut. The record went platinum, as did its 2011 follow-up, Outlaws Like Me, which yielded yet another #1 single. In the decade that followed, Moore would go on to establish himself as one of modern country music’s most reliable artists, landing nine more #1’s, taking home the New Artist of the Year trophy at the ACM Awards, racking up more than a billion streams, and performing everywhere from Jimmy Kimmel Live to The Today Show.