Riley Green (singer) - Wikipedia

American singer and songwriter (born 1988) For the place, see Riley Green, Lancashire. Not to be confused with Riley Greene or Rylie Green.
Riley Green
A head shot of Riley Green.Green in 2022
Background information
BornJohnathan Riley Green (1988-10-18) October 18, 1988 (age 37)Jacksonville, Alabama, U.S.
GenresCountry
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
Years active2013–present
LabelsNashville Harbor
Websiterileygreenmusic.com
Musical artist

Johnathan Riley Green (born October 18, 1988) is an American country music singer and songwriter, signed to Nashville Harbor Records & Entertainment (formerly BMLG) since 2019. He has released three albums: Different 'Round Here in 2019, Ain't My Last Rodeo in 2023, and Don't Mind If I Do in 2024. Green has charted four top-20 hits on the Billboard Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay charts: "There Was This Girl", "I Wish Grandpas Never Died", "Half of Me" (with Thomas Rhett), and "Different 'Round Here" (with Luke Combs).

Music career

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Jonathan Riley Green was born October 18, 1988, in Jacksonville, Alabama. He was inspired to listen to country music by his grandfather, Buford.[1]

While he was at Jacksonville State University, Green was a Division 1 FCS quarterback on the American football team. Green was also a contestant on the CMT reality show Redneck Island. He released a self-titled EP in 2013, followed by additional EPs in 2015, 2016, and 2017. In 2018, he signed to the Big Machine Label Group.[2][3]

Billy Dukes of Taste of Country reviewed "There Was This Girl" favorably, comparing its theme to "Chicks Dig It" by Chris Cagle and noting the more neotraditional country influence compared to Green's peers.[4] The song charted on Country Airplay, and a music video was shot in October 2018.[5]

In April 2019, Green announced the release of his second single, "In Love by Now", co-written with Rhett Akins, Ben Hayslip, and Marv Green, and released an accompanying music video shot in Belize.[6][7]

"I Wish Grandpas Never Died" was released in August 2019 as the third single from Green's debut album, Different 'Round Here, which was released on September 20, 2019.[8]

The Academy of Country Music presented Green with the New Male Artist of the Year Award for 2019.[9]

He collaborated on a song with Justin Moore for his 2023 album Stray Dog.[10]

Controversies

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In late 2019, Green attracted some controversy for a line in his song "Bury Me in Dixie", which referenced Confederate general Robert E. Lee. He removed the song from streaming services in October 2019.[11][12] Green denied any racial motive for referencing Lee, saying the lyric was an expression of "pride and heritage in what I grew up around". Green also said that avoiding controversy was not the motive for removing the song from streaming services, instead citing concerns over bad audio quality.[13] The song returned to streaming services a few months after the controversy.[13]

Discography

[edit] Main article: Riley Green discography

Studio albums

  • Different 'Round Here (2019)
  • Ain't My Last Rodeo (2023)
  • Don't Mind If I Do (2024)

Extended plays

  • Outlaws Like Us (2017)
  • Riley Green (2018)
  • In a Truck Right Now (2018)
  • Got That Man a Beer (2019)
  • Behind the Bar (2021)
  • Way Out Here (2024)
  • Midtown Sessions (2025)

Awards and nominations

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Academy of Country Music Awards

[edit]
Year Nominee / work Award Result
2020 Riley Green Top New Male Vocalist Won
2024 "Different 'Round Here" (featuring Luke Combs) Music Event of the Year Nominated
2025 "You Look Like You Love Me" (featuring Ella Langley) Won
Visual Media of the Year Won
Song of the Year Nominated
Single of the Year Won

Country Music Association Awards

[edit]
Year Nominee / work Award Result
2024 "You Look Like You Love Me" (featuring Ella Langley) Musical Event of the Year Won
2025 "Don't Mind If I Do" (featuring Ella Langley) Nominated
"You Look Like You Love Me" (featuring Ella Langley) Single of the Year Won
Song of the Year Won
Music Video of the Year Won

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Riley Green Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More". AllMusic.
  2. ^ "Riley Green biography". Allmusic. Retrieved October 17, 2018.
  3. ^ "BMLG RECORDS SIGNS RILEY GREEN". Big Machine Label Group. 22 February 2018. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
  4. ^ "Don't quit on Riley Green's 'There Was This Girl' [Listen]". Taste of Country. 9 August 2018. Retrieved October 17, 2018.
  5. ^ "Riley Green's 'There Was This Girl' video comes together thanks to screaming fans". Taste of Country. 15 October 2018. Retrieved October 17, 2018.
  6. ^ "Riley Green Announces New Single "In Love By Now", following his first #1". Whiskey Riff. 15 April 2019. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
  7. ^ "Riley Green's 'In Love By Now' Video: Exclusive". Billboard. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
  8. ^ Billy Dukes (August 2, 2019). "Riley Green Announces Different 'Round Here Album". Taste of Country. Retrieved August 6, 2019.
  9. ^ web|url= https://www.acmcountry.com/winners?awardTitle=&awardCategory=New+Male+Artist+of+the+Year&awardYear=2019&actionButton=Submit
  10. ^ "Justin Moore Says Collaboration With Riley Green, "Everybody Get Along," Is Dropping This Friday". Whiskey Riff. March 28, 2023. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  11. ^ Freeman, Jon. "Riley Green Pulls 'Bury Me in Dixie' From Streaming Services Over Gen. Robert E. Lee Reference". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 3 July 2025.
  12. ^ Whitaker, Sterling (2019-11-02). "Riley Green Yanks Song From Streaming Over Robert E. Lee Lyric Controversy". Taste of Country. Retrieved 2025-11-08.
  13. ^ a b Stewart, Allison. "The answer to 'How far can this thing go' for country singer Riley Green, seems to be sky's the limit, but he wants to talk about that 'Dixie' uproar". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 3 July 2025.
Authority control databases: Artists Edit this at Wikidata
  • MusicBrainz
  • v
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Riley Green
Discography
Albums
  • Different 'Round Here
  • Ain't My Last Rodeo
  • Don't Mind If I Do
EPs
  • Way Out Here
Singles
  • "There Was This Girl"
  • "I Wish Grandpas Never Died"
  • "Different 'Round Here"
  • "Damn Good Day to Leave"
  • "Worst Way"
  • "Don't Mind If I Do"
Featured singles
  • "Half of Me"
  • "You Look Like You Love Me"
  • v
  • t
  • e
CMA Single of the Year
1967−1970
  • "There Goes My Everything" (1967)
  • "Harper Valley PTA" (1968)
  • "A Boy Named Sue" (1969)
  • "Okie from Muskogee" (1970)
1971−1980
  • "Help Me Make It Through the Night" (1971)
  • "The Happiest Girl in the Whole U.S.A." (1972)
  • "Behind Closed Doors" (1973)
  • "Country Bumpkin" (1974)
  • "Before the Next Teardrop Falls" (1975)
  • "Good Hearted Woman" (1976)
  • "Lucille" (1977)
  • "Heaven's Just a Sin Away" (1978)
  • "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" (1979)
  • "He Stopped Loving Her Today" (1980)
1981−1990
  • "Elvira" (1981)
  • "Always on My Mind" (1982)
  • "Swingin'" (1983)
  • "A Little Good News" (1984)
  • "Why Not Me" (1985)
  • "Bop" (1986)
  • "Forever and Ever, Amen" (1987)
  • "Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses" (1988)
  • "I'm No Stranger to the Rain" (1989)
  • "When I Call Your Name" (1990)
1991−2000
  • "Friends in Low Places" (1991)
  • "Achy Breaky Heart" (1992)
  • "Chattahoochee" (1993)
  • "I Swear" (1994)
  • "When You Say Nothing at All" (1995)
  • "Check Yes or No" (1996)
  • "Strawberry Wine" (1997)
  • "Holes in the Floor of Heaven" (1998)
  • "Wide Open Spaces" (1999)
  • "I Hope You Dance" (2000)
2001−2010
  • "I am a Man Of Constant Sorrow" (2001)
  • "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)" (2002)
  • "Hurt" (2003)
  • "Live Like You Were Dying" (2004)
  • "I May Hate Myself in the Morning" (2005)
  • "Believe" (2006)
  • "Before He Cheats" (2007)
  • "I Saw God Today" (2008)
  • "I Run to You" (2009)
  • "Need You Now" (2010)
2011−2020
  • "If I Die Young" (2011)
  • "Pontoon" (2012)
  • "Cruise" (2013)
  • "Automatic" (2014)
  • "Girl Crush" (2015)
  • "Die a Happy Man" (2016)
  • "Blue Ain't Your Color" (2017)
  • "Broken Halos" (2018)
  • "God's Country" (2019)
  • "The Bones" (2020)
2021−2030
  • "Starting Over" (2021)
  • "'Til You Can't" (2022)
  • "Fast Car" (2023)
  • "White Horse" (2024)
  • "You Look Like You Love Me" (2025)
  • v
  • t
  • e
CMA Song of the Year
1967−1970
  • "There Goes My Everything" - Dallas Frazier (1967)
  • "Honey" - Bobby Russell (1968)
  • "The Carroll County Accident" - Bob Ferguson (1969)
  • "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down" - Kris Kristofferson (1970)
1971−1980
  • "Easy Loving" - Freddie Hart (1971−72)
  • "Behind Closed Doors" - Kenny O'Dell (1973)
  • "Country Bumpkin" - Don Wayne (1974)
  • "Back Home Again" - John Denver (1975)
  • "Rhinestone Cowboy" - Larry Weiss (1976)
  • "Lucille" Roger Bowling, Hal Bynum - (1977)
  • "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue" - Richard Leigh (1978)
  • "The Gambler" - Don Schlitz (1979)
  • "He Stopped Loving Her Today" - Bobby Braddock, Curly Putman (1980)
1981−1990
  • "He Stopped Loving Her Today" - Bobby Braddock, Curly Putman (1981)
  • "Always on My Mind" - Wayne Carson, Johnny Christopher, Mark James (1982−83)
  • "Wind Beneath My Wings" - Larry Henley, Jeff Silbar (1984)
  • "God Bless the U.S.A." - Lee Greenwood (1985)
  • "On the Other Hand" - Paul Overstreet, Don Schlitz (1986)
  • "Forever and Ever, Amen - Paul Overstreet, Don Schlitz (1987)
  • "80's Ladies" - K. T. Oslin (1988)
  • "Chiseled in Stone" - Max D. Barnes, Vern Gosdin (1989)
  • "Where've You Been" - Don Henry, Jon Vezner (1990)
1991−2000
  • "When I Call Your Name" - Tim DuBois, Vince Gill (1991)
  • "Look at Us" - Vince Gill, Max D. Barnes (1992)
  • "I Still Believe in You" - Vince Gill, John Barlow Jarvis (1993)
  • "Chattahoochee" - Jim McBride, Alan Jackson (1994)
  • "Independence Day" - Gretchen Peters (1995)
  • "Go Rest High on That Mountain" - Vince Gill (1996)
  • "Strawberry Wine" - Matraca Berg, Gary Harrison (1997)
  • "Holes in the Floor of Heaven" - Billy Kirsch, Steve Wariner (1998)
  • "This Kiss" - Beth Nielsen Chapman, Robin Lerner, Annie Roboff (1999)
  • "I Hope You Dance" - Mark D. Sanders, Tia Sillers (2000)
2001−2010
  • "Murder on Music Row" - Larry Cordle, Larry Shell (2001)
  • "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)" - Alan Jackson (2002)
  • "Three Wooden Crosses" - Doug Johnson, Kim Williams (2003)
  • "Live Like You Were Dying" - Tim Nichols, Craig Wiseman (2004)
  • "Whiskey Lullaby" - Bill Anderson, Jon Randall (2005)
  • "Believe" - Ronnie Dunn, Craig Wiseman (2006)
  • "Give It Away" - Bill Anderson, Buddy Cannon, Jamey Johnson (2007)
  • "Stay" - Jennifer Nettles (2008)
  • "In Color" - Jamey Johnson, Lee Thomas Miller, James Otto (2009)
  • "The House That Built Me" - Tom Douglas, Allen Shamblin (2010)
2011−2020
  • "If I Die Young" - Kimberly Perry (2011)
  • "Over You" - Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton (2012)
  • "I Drive Your Truck" - Jessi Alexander, Connie Harrington, Jimmy Yeary (2013)
  • "Follow Your Arrow" - Brandy Clark, Shane McAnally, Kacey Musgraves (2014)
  • "Girl Crush" - Hillary Lindsey, Lori McKenna, Liz Rose (2015)
  • "Humble and Kind" - Lori McKenna (2016)
  • "Better Man" - Taylor Swift (2017)
  • "Broken Halos" - Mike Henderson, Chris Stapleton (2018)
  • "Beautiful Crazy" - Luke Combs, Wyatt Durrette, Robert Williford (2019)
2021−2030
  • "The Bones" - Maren Morris, Jimmy Robbins, Laura Veltz (2020)
  • "Starting Over" - Mike Henderson, Chris Stapleton (2021)
  • "Buy Dirt" - Jacob Davis, Jordan Davis, Josh Jenkins, Matt Jenkins (2022)
  • "Fast Car" - Tracy Chapman (2023)
  • "White Horse" - Chris Stapleton, Dan Wilson (2024)
  • "You Look Like You Love Me" - Ella Langley, Riley Green, Aaron Raitiere (2025)

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