Drew Baldridge was literally moving cows with his brother on the family farm in Patoka, Illinois, when
he fully realized his musical destiny. After years of living in Nashville and experimenting with his
sound, Drew understood his new direction. All it took was a trip back to his hometown to get back to
his roots. To connect to the country.
"When I was out there, it hit me: I wasn’t making music that was authentic to me. I grew up listening
to Alabama, Brooks & Dunn and John Anderson with my grandpa, with my friends. It was the music I
was raised on. There are a lot of people just like me who grew up that way, and I want my music to
reflect them,” says Baldridge.
That small-town feel is captured in all of Baldridge’s songs and no amount of hit singles or touring
success has changed that. The sturdiness of his upbringing and authenticity of his music has only
prepared Baldridge for the last two years when his star truly began to rise.
In early 2020, Baldridge’s single, “Senior Year,” gained quick radio and streaming momentum. Written
alongside Tim Nichols (Hall of Fame songwriter) and Jordan Walker (Luke Combs), “Senior Year” captured
the attention of country radio as it connected with fans whose school years were “cancelled” due
to COVID-19. Students, parents, teachers and more found solace in this song as they missed the experiences
that come during the culmination of high school. Organic fan discovery led the song to chart
on both Billboard and Mediabase with no major label support.
With “Senior Year,” Baldridge was asked to perform at local graduation ceremonies around the country.
Fans, school administrators, parents and more were reaching out to him directly via social media and
asking him to play the song for their graduating class. And this sparked an idea that made Baldridge
stand out amongst the rest as pandemic had most of the music industry grounded.
“I was able to bring my live show safely to these kids’ schools,” said Baldridge. “I saw the impact it had
on them especially at a time when things were so uncertain. Through these graduation performances,
I was able to really cultivate my touring model for the next 20+ months where I would play for fans in
their own backyards. It developed into 200+ shows we called Baldridge and Bonfires.”
When he was not on the road, Baldridge was writing and recording music. In 2021 alone he released
five new songs with no major label help. These include “That’s You,” “Beach Ain’t One,” “Stay at Home
Dad,” “Wontcha Come Back Home,” and the viral sensation
“She’s Somebody’s Daughter” which was released around his wedding to wife Katherine. His catalog
has over 120M total streams. And he is hitting the road again for his headlining stint “The Come Back
Home Tour” where he is performing at clubs across the south and east coast.
This rise comes on the heels of years of hard work and hustle as he perfected his craft. He’s had
previous successes with releases like “Dance With Ya” and “Middle of Nowhere Kids.” And as he has
done for most of his career, Baldridge achieved radio success on his own terms – with extreme drive
and belief in the message. As with “Senior Year,” “Middle of Nowhere Kids” became a Top 50 song
with no major label help. The connection between Baldridge and his passionate fanbase is true and
authentic.
An artist with an attention to detailed storytelling, Baldridge is also an accomplished songwriter who
recently signed with Sony Music Publishing. With over 300 tunes under his songwriting belt, he has
found success not only writing for himself but also others. His most recent outside cut, “Chillionaire,”
was recorded by LOCASH and appears on the duo’s newly released EP.
A multi-talented entertainer, Baldridge hosts his weekly show for LA’s Go Country 105. Hear him each
Saturday and Sunday from 9:00A – 2:00P PST and fans who are not in LA can catch-up via the show’s
weekly podcast, “Behind the Song.” Recent guests include Russell Dickerson, Jameson Rodgers, Jordan
Davis, Lee Brice, Carly Pearce, Lainey Wilson, Brantley Gilbert, Riley Green, Tenille Arts, Scott
McCreery and more.
There is a ton going on for this kid from the country in Illinois and he doesn’t take anything for granted.
That's why Baldridge sees no shame in saying that he's gotten this far through blood, sweat, and tears
rather than coasting along on talent. "Knowing that you're not the most talented is a benefit. Never
saying that you're the best always keeps you growing," he says. "I know I'm not the best singer, I know
I'm not the best performer, I know I don't have the best songs. But I strive to do that every day and I'm
not gonna stop until I hopefully one day get there."