To a certain degree, country music has always been a young man’s game. The constant traveling, late nights, physical exertion, and days away from home make it conducive for a person with loose joints and a headspace yearning for adventure. Now, of course, there are a plethora of country musicians who have lived this life well into their later years, and one who will certainly do just that, and who is doing it now, is Drake Milligan.
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For the last three years, Drake Milligan has been a tried and true road dog. He’s been all over the world, released two albums, and in total, accepted seemingly every opportunity that has been thrown his way. He’s garnered new experiences, cemented his feet in the business, further connected with his fanbase, and comfortably grown into his sound. That is what leads Milligan, here and now, relishing in the release of his sophomore album and his world tour. (Below, check out his new live performance video, released today.)
Stepping Into His Sound and Becoming a Voice in the Studio
Drake Milligan released his last full-length album in 2022. That being said, he had three long years to prepare himself for the creation of his latest album, Tumbleweed. Released in November 2025, the contents of the album sound as if a seasoned veteran was at the helm. However, as Drake confessed, that was not the case.
“I’ve been telling people, you know, it’s kind of the first time I’m making an album, a full-length album, where I kind of know what I’m doing,” Milligan told us. “Not that I didn’t know what I was doing[the first time]. I just didn’t have a whole lot of experience on the road, and I didn’t, you know, it was my first time putting out music.”
No matter who you are and how much you prepare, doing something for the first time will always present curveballs. Though this time around, Milligan knew when and when not to swing at those curveballs. The result is an album filled with spry anthems and honest singles showing the emotional refinement that comes with age.
Regarding the maturity of music, Milligan stated, “I feel like it’s a more mature kind of form of me.” “I’m able to be more of a voice in the studio…I’m able to really tell everybody what I’m thinking and kind of translate that musically to musicians and producers and engineers,” he added.
“Unexpected” Overseas Success
Country music has always been staunchly American. Though, as all music does, it travels, and Drake Milligan’s music has traveled across the pond and snuck its way into the hearts and minds of the United Kingdom’s country music fanbase. The proof in the pudding is that “Tumbleweed”, the title track from Milligan’s recent album, reached the top 10 on UK Country Radio.
Be real, if you were a country musician from Texas, wouldn’t you be surprised if you scored a country music hit in the UK? Well, Milligan certainly was, as he divulged, “It’s been very unexpected. Yeah, I mean, I never really dreamed, starting out that, that I would be playing over there in the first place.”
What Milligan prides himself on regarding his overseas success is the authentic way it came to be. He didn’t have a viral song, and he didn’t roll out an ambitious marketing campaign. Rather, everything he has built over there has been based on his live shows and word of mouth. Thus, making for an “old school” form of success.
“Definitely wasn’t something that I expected, but boy, am I glad it happened,” Drake Milligan concluded on the matter.
Drake Milligan Is Going To Keep Blowing Around Like a “Tumbleweed”
As stated previously, Drake Milligan has been hitting the road extensively for the last three years. In 2025, he’s opened for Lainey Wilson, Blake Shelton, and Luke Bryan. He’s a road dog, and that is what inspired him to title his album, Tumbleweed.
“In a lot of ways, I feel like a tumbleweed… A lot of times, you can feel like you’re kind of aimlessly floating through this. You know that when you’re doing this music thing, and with no real clear path or direction. But that to me, it’s just having that support system around me,” said Milligan.
Thanks to his spirit and support, Milligan just announced a slew of 23 new tour dates. A few of those new dates include stops in Florida, Drake’s home state of Texas, Chicago, and lastly, down under in Australia. Milligan might view himself as a bit of a tumbleweed, but to us, he’s a globetrotter. A globetrotter with a clear mission, a mission everyone can get behind.
Lastly, today, January 16, Milligan dropped his live video performance of “Slow Dancing To A Fast Song”. The release of this single and the live video performance have been a long time coming for Milligan. For years, he and his band had strictly performed the single on the road, but now, it’s open for everyone to listen to on repeat. The road ahead is long for Milligan, but he will certainly drive the full distance.
Tumbleweed is out now everywhere, and to check out Drake’s tour dates, visit his website here.
PC Eric Ryan Anderson
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