After giving Austin City Limits an eclectic blend of outlaw country, rock ‘n’ roll, and Americana, Tanner Usrey talks having his song featured in Yellowstone and staying true to himself.
After quitting his job as a skip trader in 2019, Tanner Usrey hopped in a van and never looked back. He and his band have since racked up over 200 shows across the U.S., giving audiences a sweet mix of country rock, blues, Americana, and more.
Born and raised in the small town of Prosper, Texas, Usrey grew up listening to country greats like George Strait, Garth Brooks, and Tom Petty, along with rock legends like the Rolling Stones. Using these combined influences, Usrey began songwriting in high school, picking up a guitar and falling in love with the artform. Two decades and over one million Spotify streams later, he’s on top of the world. He even got a nod from Taylor Sheridan with a song feature in the finale episode of Yellowstone’s fourth season.
Tanner Usrey stopped by to chat with C&I fresh off the adrenaline of his Austin City Limits debut on Sunday, October 8. Usrey shares on the anniversary of quitting his job, picking up a guitar for the first time, and what country music brings to the industry.
C&I: You just finished up your Austin City Limits debut. How are you feeling?
Tanner Usrey: I felt really good about it. There were way more people for us than I thought there would be, so I was really impressed by it. ACL is probably one of the more wild crowds I’ve seen, for sure.
C&I: Where did your pursuit of country music begin?
Usrey: I’ve always sung. When I was a kid in class, I would just sing all the time. I wouldn’t shut up. I grew up listening to the red-dirt scene and Texas scene. But I think the moment I realized this is what I wanted to do was when I was at a Wade Bowen concert. I picked up the guitar that week and never looked back. I started writing music my senior year of high school. I just wrote about life, and the stories that other people would tell me.
C&I: What happened next?
Usrey: I was working a bunch of different jobs up until 2019. I was working as a skip tracer, and it was a miserable office job. I just couldn’t do it anymore. I quit my job, actually four years ago today. I hopped in a van and never looked back. I didn’t have another choice. It was either that or starve. We racked up 185 shows in 2022. 2023 is probably 180 as well, so we’ve just been going.
C&I: You’ve racked up some pretty incredible performances since then. Do you have a favorite?
Usrey: I think the Grand Ole Opry. That was a big one. But I also think about the first time I played Bubba’s [Brewhouse] in Durant, Oklahoma. There were about 100 people there, and that was the first time I could hear people actually singing my lyrics back to me. That was back in 2020.
C&I: You got yourself a feature in Season 4 of Yellowstone. That must have been affirming.
Usrey: It was pretty surreal. I’ve been a Yellowstone fan since the beginning, so having a song in there is pretty sick.
C&I: How do you keep yourself level-headed during such a busy schedule?
Usrey: I’m pretty headstrong. I just have to go back down to earth whenever I can. I mean, we’ve been playing so much for so long that we’re not nervous anymore. You just do it. It’s like getting hyped for a football game.
C&I: Can you tell us a little bit about your upcoming album?
Usrey: Yeah, it should be coming out here soon. It’s got a little something for everyone. It’s like Waller Brothers had a baby with The Black Crowes and Chris Stapleton. It’s a lot edgier while still letting every song be what it’s going to be.
C&I: Who are your biggest musical influences?
Usrey: Well, starting out it was probably Cross Canadian Ragweed, Whiskey Myers, Ryan Bingham, Wade Bowen. Then there’s the Rolling Stones and George Strait, who were both huge. They both just did what they wanted to do.
C&I: What keeps you in love with country music?
Usrey: I think it’s a look into real life. We don’t pull punches. It’s not all sunshine and rainbows. It’s reality.
Listen to Tanner Usrey's music on Spotify and Apple Music, and check out his website for upcoming tour dates.
Photography: courtesy of Atlantic Records