Biography
Robert Counts flaunted his rural Southern background in the lyrics of "What Do I Know," yet the 2020 single's glossy production illustrated his skill at folding R&B-tinged country-pop textures into his style. When he tackled "Crazy" for his self-titled debut EP that surfaced in 2019, the song in question was not the Patsy Cline standard but instead Gnarls Barkley's 2006 cross-genre smash, underscoring Counts' identity as a thoroughly modern country artist.
Born and raised in Franklin, the Tennessee community located just south of Nashville, Counts first explored music by singing and leading worship services at church throughout his teenage years. He later earned a biochemistry degree at college, only to set aside medical-school ambitions and commit to a career in music instead. His earliest significant break occurred after he claimed victory in a songwriting competition at Franklin's Puckett's Grocery & Restaurant, which secured his initial publishing contract. With that momentum he relocated to Nashville and continued writing until producer Jimmy Ritchey—best known for his work with Jake Owen—encouraged him to step forward as a performer.
Counts secured a recording agreement with Sony Music Nashville, and its Arista imprint issued the self-titled debut EP in October 2019. In June 2020 he released the assertive "What Do I Know," a Southern anthem co-written by HARDY and Jake Mitchell.
Born and raised in Franklin, the Tennessee community located just south of Nashville, Counts first explored music by singing and leading worship services at church throughout his teenage years. He later earned a biochemistry degree at college, only to set aside medical-school ambitions and commit to a career in music instead. His earliest significant break occurred after he claimed victory in a songwriting competition at Franklin's Puckett's Grocery & Restaurant, which secured his initial publishing contract. With that momentum he relocated to Nashville and continued writing until producer Jimmy Ritchey—best known for his work with Jake Owen—encouraged him to step forward as a performer.
Counts secured a recording agreement with Sony Music Nashville, and its Arista imprint issued the self-titled debut EP in October 2019. In June 2020 he released the assertive "What Do I Know," a Southern anthem co-written by HARDY and Jake Mitchell.
Albums
Singles
