Parker McCollum on Growing Up in Texas and His Family's Influence on His Career

Get to Know Parker McCollum

Parker McCollum spent childhood summers working on his grandfather's ranch and listening to classic country music. He started writing songs with the guidance of his older brother and played his first gig at 16-years-old, but it wasn't until he moved to Austin, Texas, that he knew that he had found his calling as an artist. On this episode, Parker talks about his mother's cooking, his commitment to writing songs that stand the test of time, his sold out Houston Rodeo show, and the first time he heard George Strait sing Amarillo By Morning.

What Parker Talks About In This Episode

*On growing up in Conroe, Texas

*On moving to Nashville, Tennessee

*Spending summers working on the ranch

*The influence of his father and grandfather

*His album "Hollywood Gold" and the significance of the title

*His mom's cooking

*Being inspired by George Strait

Quotes from Parker

"Conroe was great. I miss it all the time. When I lived there growing up, I couldn't wait to get out, now all I want to do is go back. It's kind of funny how that works out."

"My dad is such an influence on me. I look up to him so much, my best friend in the world. And when you're a kid, you don't think about those influences like that, and you get a little older and you grow up a little bit, and you start to realize ... the reason that I'm able to do anything or have any sort of knowledge or hustle or work ethic is because of those people in my life."

"I remember one time I was in high school, my mom got really into making crème brûlée, and for several months, I'd come home from school every day and just stuff my face with crème brûlée out of the fridge. But she'd been a great cook my whole life."

"I can just remember being so young and hearing Amarillo by Morning for the first time and that intro lick on the fiddle just being so captivating. I was so mesmerized by that song and that melody. And that's really the earliest I can remember of him."

About Biscuits & Jam

In the South, talking about food is personal. It's a way of sharing your history, your family, your culture, and yourself. Each week Sid Evans, editor in chief of Southern Living, sits down with celebrity musicians to hear stories of how they grew up, what inspired them, and how they've been shaped by Southern culture. Sid takes us back to some of their most cherished memories and traditions, the family meals they still think about, and their favorite places to eat on the road.

Download and listen to this episode of Biscuits & Jam with Parker McCollum on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or everywhere podcasts are available.

Get a transcript of the full interview with Parker McCollum.