Gold Chain Cowboy

Gold Chain Cowboy is the third studio album by American country music singer Parker McCollum. It was released through MCA Nashville on July 30, 2021. It was produced by Jon Randall.

The album marks McCollum's major-label debut album following the success of his 2020 EP, Hollywood Gold, which was the top-selling debut country EP of that year. The album includes the number one singles "Pretty Heart" and "To Be Loved by You."

Gold Chain Cowboy was noted for its neotraditional style and emotional depth, drawing on McCollum's Texas roots and featuring collaborations with Miranda Lambert, Brian Kelley, and Randy Rogers. It peaked at number six on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in 2023.

All ten tracks on the album were written or co-written by McCollum, showcasing a more collaborative approach than his earlier work,^[2][3] which were mainly written by himself. McCollum collaborated with a number of respected songwriters, including Randy Rogers, Randy Montana, Rhett Akins, Miranda Lambert, and Tony Lane.^[2][3]

The album's title is a nod to McCollum's flashy yet grounded persona, representing a blend of mainstream ambition and independent roots.^[3]

McCollum said that the COVID-19 pandemic forced him to slow down and improve his songwriting process, and approach his craft with greater professionalism.^[4] He stated that he intentionally avoided formulaic "beer songs and dirt road songs," opting instead for emotionally resonant material that allowed him to stand out artistically.^[4] He credited his producer, Jon Randall, for allowing him to preserve his individuality, stating, "I'll always be willing to die on that hill of remaining myself and sticking to my guns."^[3] The album was emphasized by McCollum to have all the songs be autobiographical, drawn from real life events and people.^[5] From the late-night songwriting sessions during emotional lows to relationship struggles and triumphs, the album reflects his personal growth and introspection as an artist and as a man.^[5]

Accompanying the album's release, McCollum joined Dierks Bentley on his Bears On Me Tour in August 2021.^[3]

In the CD McCollum wrote a thank you letter after the release of his first major-label album:

"To my Dad, Mer and mom, I say thank you times a billion. My first full album on a major label and nobody understands what it took to get to this point more than the three of you. To my band and crew, thank you guys for saving my ass night in and night out. To MCA, Mike Dungan and Cindy Mabe, the best label in country music, thank you for giving me the shot that I so desperately wanted for so long. To my producer Jon Randall, thank you for believing in me and being my saving grace in this crazy ass town. To my team at Red Light and THE MAN Enzo, Mathew Miller, Jacob Knight and Kellie Fenley, thank you for always taking care of me and making it look like I never forget or miss anything! To Randy Rogers, I love you man. We did it! To my agent, Henry Glascock, thank you for sticking with me all this time and taking a chance on a kid who knew absolutely nothing just a few years ago. To Ben Vaughn and Jessi Vaughn (not related) thank you guys for sticking with me and always believing in me. To my siblings Tyler, Jon Adams and Michael Lauren, I love y'all with my whole heart. My little Anderson, Wells and Mac, y'all motivate me every day to get better and stay better. To the love of my life Hallie Ray Light, this is just the beginning baby. I love you more than anything in the world! And last but least, TO THE BEST FANS IN THE WORLD, this record is for you. Listen to it, live with it, give every song a chance. I hope you believe every word I wrote. Mad Love. Gold Chain Cowboy belongs to the world now! Peace!"

The songwriting reflects McCollum's commitment to storytelling and depth, influenced by his early admiration for artists like Chris Knight, Hayes Carll, and Robert Earl Keen.^[3]

McCollum revealed that the song "To Be Loved by You" was inspired by a conversation during a drive with his merchandise manager.^[5] Reflecting on a rough patch in his relationship, which was the inspiration behind previous album, Probably Wrong, with his girlfriend Hallie Ray Light, he asked aloud, "What do I have to do to be loved by this girl?" and recorded the first verse immediately.^[5] The song was completed days later during a writing session with Rhett Akins, which McCollum originally intended to breeze through due to exhaustion.^[5] The song "Drinkin'" was pulled from McCollum's personal vault of unreleased material.^[5] It was originally written in 2018 during a period he described as self-sabotaging behavior for the sake of writing authentic country music.^[5] He acknowledged that every song on the album is based on real-life experiences and people.^[5]

The track "Falling Apart," co-written with Lambert and Randall, was inspired by McCollum's real-life breakup with his now-wife Hallie Ray Light and evolved from a late-night idea into one of the album's emotional highlights.^[3] McCollum stated that he intentionally avoided cliché themes in favor of more personal songwriting, aiming to stand out in the country music landscape.^[3]

Markos Papadatos of Digital Journal rated the album 4.5 out of five stars, stating that "There is a rawness and honesty to McCollum’s music. This album will resonate well with both fans of neotraditional and modern country."^[1]

Lee Zimmerman of American Songwriter gave the album three out of five, describing Gold Chain Cowboy as a balance of "luster with bluster."^[6] He praised McCollum's "good ole boy persona and arched attitude," noting that it aligns well with the album's themes of romantic turmoil and hard living.^[6] Zimmerman singled out "Why Indiana" and "Dallas" for the anthemic qualities, and highlighted "Wait Outside" and "Falling Apart" for the emotional urgency.^[6] Producer Jon Randall was credited for adding musical depth and polish, helping anchor the songs with weightier arrangements.^[6] Zimmerman also commended the supporting musicians, including backing vocals from John Cowan, drummer Jerry Roe, and guitarists Jedd Hughes and Dan Dugmore.^[6] Alongside the praise, he felt that some tracks leaned too heavily on familiar country tropes, suggesting the album at times fell prey to standard themes of breakup and regret without offering new narrative ground.^[6] Still, Zimmerman acknowledged McCollum's potential for broader success, writing that if McCollum expands beyond "his own solitary circumstance," he should reach an even wider audience.^[6]

All tracks were co-written by Parker McCollum with additional co-writers listed.

Adapted from liner notes.^[8]

Musicians

• Stanton Adcock – acoustic guitar (track 7), electric guitar (tracks 3, 7)
• Jessi Alexander – background vocals (track 6)
• Doug Belote – drums (tracks 3, 4, 6, 7), percussion (tracks 4, 7)
• Danielle Bradbery – featured vocals (track 2)
• John Cowan – background vocals (tracks 3, 4)
• Dan Dugmore – pedal steel guitar (track 4)
• Shani Gandhi – keyboards (track 4), background vocals (track 4)
• Jedd Hughes – acoustic guitar (tracks 2, 4–6, 8, 9), electric guitar (tracks 5, 6)
• Tony Lucido – bass guitar (tracks 1, 10), gang vocals (track 10)
• Parker McCollum – harmonica (track 8), lead vocals (all tracks)
• Rob McNelley – acoustic guitar (track 10), electric guitar (all tracks except 10), gang vocals (track 10)
• Alena Moran – gang vocals (track 10)
• Lex Price – bass guitar (tracks 3, 4, 7)
• Jon Randall – electric guitar (track 6), background vocals (tracks 1, 3–5, 7, 9, 10)
• Jerry Roe – bass guitar (tracks 2, 5, 8, 9), drums (tracks 1, 2, 5, 8–10), percussion (tracks 1, 2, 8–10), gang vocals (track 10)
• Marc Rogers – bass guitar (track 6)
• F. Reid Shippen – programming (track 5)
• Bryan Sutton – acoustic guitar (tracks 1, 10), mandolin (track 1), gang vocals (track 10)
• Jimmy Wallace – Hammond B-3 organ (tracks 1, 2), keyboards (all tracks), gang vocals (track 10)
• Brian Wright – gang vocals (track 10)

Production

• Jon Randall – production
• F. Reid Shippen – engineering, mixing
• Brandon Bell – engineering, digital editing
• Shani Gandhi – additional engineering, digital editing
• Michael Mechling – assistant engineering, digital editing
• Lowel Reynolds – assistant engineering
• Ethan Barrette – assistant engineering
• Alena Moran – production coordination
• Pete Lyman – mastering

Artwork

• Parker McCollum – art direction
• Tyler Conrad – cover design and photography
• Craig Allen – design
• Kera Jackson – art production