Luke Bryan has been chasing music since the age of 14, when he first joined a band. Decades later, he’s not only one of country’s biggest stars but also a mentor to rising names like Bailey Zimmerman and Ella Langley.
Speaking on Country Countdown USA with Lon Helton, Bryan reflected on some advice he’s shared with the two young artists. He recalled a rough patch for Zimmerman earlier this year at his Crash My Playa festival in Cancun, where Zimmerman stumbled on stage, forgot lyrics, and delivered a shaky performance while appearing intoxicated. Afterward, the newcomer publicly apologized and used the moment as a lesson.
Bryan said he tried to steer Zimmerman through the fallout, reminding him that mistakes are part of the journey—especially now that every slip-up is instantly captured on video. “When I was his age, people didn’t record everything. I told him, ‘Learn, be better, and remember you’re human,’” Bryan explained. Later, the two even shared the stage, which Bryan said helped turn the moment around in front of fans.
Zimmerman isn’t the only one benefiting from Bryan’s wisdom. He also spoke about guiding Ella Langley, who recently opened shows for him and is at a key point in her career. “It’s so exciting to be right at that moment where your dreams start coming true. She’s got all the tools,” Bryan said. He even introduced her to the work of country great KT Oslin, telling Langley she should study her music.
Bryan praised both Langley and Lainey Wilson for embracing their natural country accents and bringing strong female energy to the genre.
Currently, Bryan is out on his A Country Song Came On tour, which runs through late August before he shifts to his annual Farm Tour in September. He also revealed that new music is coming, hinting that fans can expect fresh sounds that push beyond what they’ve heard from him before.