Riley Green Keeps It Real — and Funny — Amid a Huge Year
Riley Green is having one of the biggest years of his career in 2025, and he’s not slowing down anytime soon. Between his Damn Country Music Tour and his multiple award nominations, the Alabama native has been busy performing, writing, and connecting with fans — all while keeping his trademark humor intact.
Recently, he stopped by Losers Bar & Grill in Nashville, right next door to his own bar, The Duckblind, to perform at their birthday bash. It was a lighthearted night that reminded everyone why fans love him — he takes his music seriously but never himself too seriously.
Four CMA Nominations and a String of Hit Duets
Riley’s momentum this year has been incredible. He’s up for four CMA Awards, largely thanks to his chart-topping collaborations — especially his viral duets with Ella Langley, “You Look Like You Love Me” and “Don’t Mind If I Do.”
@rachelannslee Hell of a way to go !!! #rileygreen #losersbarandgrill #losersoriginal #countrymusic #hellofawaytogo ♬ original sound – Rachel Brown
The first of those already won Musical Event of the Year at last year’s CMAs, and both continue to dominate streaming platforms.
Beyond Langley, Green also teamed up this year with Randy Houser, Hannah McFarland, and Luke Bryan, proving he’s one of country’s most versatile duet partners. His natural storytelling and rich traditional sound seem to blend effortlessly with any artist who joins him.
The Dream Duet: George Strait or Alan Jackson
During a GRAMMY Museum interview earlier this year, Riley was asked who his dream collaboration would be. Without hesitation, he named two country icons:
“Just, you know, The King — George Strait. I guess that’d be pretty good. Or I’d settle for Alan Jackson if I had to. Either one of them would be fine.”
His tongue-in-cheek response drew laughs from the audience, but it also showed genuine respect for the legends who shaped the sound of country music.
Riley admitted that his favorite country song ever is Alan Jackson’s “Here in the Real World”, but when it comes to a dream duet, George Strait still slightly edges out the rest.
A Humble (and Hilarious) Perspective
When the interviewer asked why the collaboration hasn’t happened yet, Riley didn’t miss a beat:
“I think the problem is, has he thought about it? You know what I mean? I’ve thought about it a lot. When he starts thinking about it, that’s when it’ll happen.”
His quick wit earned a big laugh — a classic Riley moment of self-deprecating humor.
But he quickly followed that up with sincerity, speaking about how much he admires Strait and Jackson’s dedication to the craft:
“When you’ve done it as long as they have, that really says a lot, because this is a grueling lifestyle. You’ve got to really love it to do it for that amount of time.”
Longevity Over Fame
Though he admits he’s not sure he’ll still be touring as long as Strait or Jackson, Riley hopes to build a career rooted in authentic songwriting and emotional connection:
“I hope that I can write songs that people relate to. If I can keep writing songs that people feel something from listening to, I think I’ll do it as long as I can do that.”
That philosophy — staying humble, relatable, and honest — is exactly what’s carried him this far.
@rileygreenalerts Riley Green Explains Why He Hasn't Made A Song With George Strait @Riley Green #RileyGreen ♬ original sound – RileyGreenAlerts
And at this rate, Riley Green isn’t just having a good year — he’s building the kind of career that could one day inspire the next generation of country artists to dream about singing with him.