Throughout the years, Florida Georgia Line has penned the majority of their catalog, from their 2012 debut, Here’s to the Good Times, through their fifth album, Life Rolls On, in 2021.
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Along with a collective of co-writers, the duo made up of Brian Kelley and Tyler Hubbard have highlighted their songbook around No. 1s, including their first hit “Cruise,” which topped the country charts for 24 weeks, along with other heavy hitters “Stay,” “Dirt,” “H.O.L.Y.” “Meant to Be” and their 2014 Luke Bryan collaboration on “This Is How We Roll.”
Mostly writing together with other writers, the duo has written a number of songs for Jason Aldean along with tracks for Billy Currington (“Summer Forever,” 2015) and Cole Swindell (“Party Wasn’t Over,” 2016), among others over the span of a decade.
In 2019, Brian Kelley co-write HARDY’s 2019 hit “Redneck Tendencies” and is continuing to work with other artists since the duo disbanded in 2022 with both artists embarking on solo careers.
Kelley released his solo debut, Sunshine State of Mind, in 2021, while Hubbard released his first, Tyler Hubbard, in 2023.
Here are five songs Kelly wrote, including several along with Hubbard, for other artists over the past 10 years.
1. “How She Rolls,” Chase Rice (2012)
Written by Brian Kelley and Chase Rice
Brian Kelly co-produced and co-wrote a majority of the tracks on Chase Rice‘s second album, Dirt Road Communion, including four songs with Hubbard. Kelley worked with Rice again on this third album, Ignite the Night for the track “Jack Daniels and Jesus,” and co-produced Rice’s fifth album, The Album, released in 2021.
My baby’s all hands in the air and don’t have a care
When her song’s on the radio
A little crazy with a blue jean tear
Gets a RayBan’s stare just about everywhere we go
She likes to get down, sippin’ on coke and crown
Jesus and gypsy soul
Yeah, that’s how she rocks, that’s how she rolls
2. “Hope You Get Lonely Tonight,” Cole Swindell (2014)
Written by Brian Kelley, Tyler Hubbard, Michael Carter, Michael Ray Carter
On Cole Swindell‘s 2014 self-titled debut, Kelley co-wrote his “Hope You Get Lonely Tonight.” After their first collaboration with Swindell, he and Hubbard also wrote “Party Wasn’t Over” off Swindell’s second album, You Should Be Here, in 2016.
Swindell, along with Luke Bryan, Hubbard, and Kelley also co-wrote Florida Georgia Line’s 2014 hit “This Is How We Roll” (also featuring Bryan).
I could go for a tipsy tailgate kiss,
Baby taste the moonshinin’ off of your lips
I want to see that want ya smile
Still got me hooked been hooked for awhile
3. “Hometown,” Kane Brown (2016)
Written by Brian Kelley, Tyler Hubbard, Cameron Montgomery, James McNair
For Kane Brown‘s eponymous debut, Kelley co-wrote his opening track, “Hometown.” Brown immediately connected to the song since it reminded him of his own hometown of Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia.
“It’s just a song talking about, you just want to make your hometown proud,” said Brown before his debut was released in 2016. “It’s a fast-paced song that you just want to roll your windows down to and jam out while you’re riding. I got the opportunity to shout out both of my hometowns, which is awesome.”
Kane Brown was ultimately a success for the then-new artist, hitting No. 1 on the Top Country Albums chart and No. 5 on the Billboard 200.
All I wanna do is make my hometown proud
Make them turn it up loud, roll them windows down
All I wanna do is make my hometown proud
Gonna give them that sound, everybody’s talking about
We still the same old, same old southern boys
Still got that same old, same old southern voice
We’re singing now
4. “Lights Come On,” Jason Aldean (2016)
Written by Brian Kelley, Tyler Hubbard, Brad Douglas Warren, Brett Daniel Warren, James Michael Robbins, Jordan Mark Schmidt
The lead single off Jason Aldean‘s seventh album, They Don’t Know, Kelley co-wrote “Lights Come On” inside a tree house at his former Nashville home. The song peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Country Airplay and No. 3 on the Hot Country Songs charts.
Along with Hubbard, Kelley also co-wrote Aldean’s No. 1 hit “Burnin’ It Down,” off his 2014 album Old Boots, New Dirt, and another chart-topper, “Make It Easy,” from his 2018 release, Rearview Town.
You’re a crack-of-dawn, Monday-morning, coffee strong
Poured everything you got into a paycheck Friday night
You’re a Powerstroke diesel, backhoe-riding king of beers, eighteen-wheeler
Driving, living life in between the lines
Of clocking in and quitting time
5. “Redneck Tendencies,” HARDY, featuring Trace Adkins and Joe Diffie (2019)
Written by Brian Kelley, Ben Stennis, Ernest Keith Smith
Hixtape, Vol. 1 is a collaborative album by HARDY, featuring 17 country artists, including Keith Urban, Lauren Alaina, Morgan Wallen, and Thomas Rhett. Trace Adkins also appears on “Redneck Tendencies,” which was co-written by Kelley.
I got some redneck tendencies
When I’m shooting Tennessee whiskey ‘neath the neon moon
When I’m all tore up from the bar floor up
Can’t nobody tell me what I’m gonna do
Yeah, mama tried to raise me right
But she couldn’t raise the hell outta me
I told her rednecks tend to have some redneck tendencies
Photo by Brittney Kelley / Sweettalk PR
