Five years ago, Cole Swindell was selling merchandise on his buddy Luke Bryan’s concert tour. The Georgia songwriter and aspiring singer watched from the sidelines, saw what Bryan did that worked with the crowds and soaked it all in.
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TonightCoke Stage› 6:30-8 p.m.: Cole Swindell› 9:30-11 p.m.: Gregg AllmanBud Light Stage› 6-7:30 p.m.: Jaimoe’s Jasssz Band› 8-9:30 p.m.: Molly HatchetUnum Stage› 6:30-7:45 p.m.: Drew Sterchi & Blues Tribe› 8-9:15 p.m.: Jack Pearson & Jonell Mosser› 9:30-11 p.m.: Brody Johnson BandTVCFU Stage› 6:15-7:30 p.m.: Preston Parris Band› 7:45-9 p.m.: Hot Club of Nashville› 9:15-10:30 p.m.: Sons of BillChevy Stage6:15-7:45 p.m.: Wrecking Crew8-9:45 p.m.: ArsonAdmission Riverbend 9-day wristband ($55); one-day wristband ($25).
Last year, Swindell opened shows on Bryan’s tour. Now he’s a Bro Country star in his own right. If guys like Florida-Georgia Line and Bryan aren’t singing his songs, Swindell’s the one on the radio singing about beer, tailgate kisses and cruising backroads in a truck with the music jacked.
Swindell notched three No. 1 singles off his self-titled debut album released last year: “Chillin’ It,” “Hope You Get Lonely Tonight” and “Ain’t Worth the Whiskey.” Those successes propelled a win at the Academy of Country Music Awards in April, where he was named New Artist of the Year just as his fourth single, “Let Me See Ya Girl,” was released.
Tonight Swindell will be chillin’ with the Riverbend crowd when he takes the Coke Stage at 6:30 p.m.
“Cole Swindell is a great play in front of Gregg Allman, who plays at 9:30 on the Coke Stage,” says Dixie Fuller, Riverbend talent and production coordinator. “Gregg is Southern rock, and Cole is new country, so it works out great.”
“The guy’s hot as a biscuit,” Bill “Dex” Poindexter says describing Swindell’s meteoric rise.
Poindexter and Melissa “Mo” Turner are the afternoon on-air personalities at country station WUSY US-101. Management at the station suggested Swindell for this year’s Riverbend lineup, credits Fuller.
“He’s super-interactive with the crowd, very high energy,” says Turner. “And he’s a dancer that one – he learned some moves from Luke Bryan.”
“Cole Swindell is one of my most-played artists on iTunes,” says Chattanoogan Stephanie Blaine, 25. “I saw him last summer when he opened at a Luke Bryan concert. His show is awesome. When you’re at his concert, everyone is singing along with him.”
Swindell says on his website that he wants his audiences to have as much fun as he does onstage.
“Every night is a blast,” the singer posts. “I don’t want to have a song where people feel comfortable going to get a beer. Once we get started, I don’t want them to risk missing what’s next. I want them to leave saying ‘That’s the best show I’ve ever seen!'”
Contact Susan Pierce at spierce@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6284.