Drake Milligan Injects a Fresh Energy into Traditional Country Sound on New EP, ‘Jukebox Songs’

Prior to the release of his debut album, Dallas/Fort Worth, Drake Milligan spent five years honing his sounds and zeroing in on the artist he wanted to be. He had a hand in writing all 14 songs on the project and created a sound that earned him a rabid fanbase that flocked to his shows around the world.

With his artistic identity now firmly solidified, Milligan returned in mid-February with Jukebox Songs, a four-song EP that both captures and furthers what his fans loved about Dallas/Fort Worth: singalong choruses, rock-solid vocals, and enough fiddle and steel to please even the staunchest traditional country fan, all the while, maintaining a sound that feels fresh in today’s musical climate.

We talked to Milligan all about Jukebox Songs, as well as artistic growth, touring with Cody Johnson, playing overseas and more!

Pro Country: You signed to BBR Music Group in the early 2020s. Can you talk about the courting and signing process and how it felt to be joining such a talented roster of artists?

Drake Milligan: BBR became the perfect home for someone like me. When I joined, they were one of the first meetings I took in Nashville. When I was shopping around for a record deal, BBR felt like the underdogs at the time. They’re not underdogs anymore because they’re killing it with some of the biggest artists out there [laughs]. It felt like they were willing to go through the development process with me, which is what I needed. I needed someone to be patient with me, and that’s what they did.

PC: You released your self-titled EP in mid-2021, which featured your now-signature song, “Sounds Like Something I’d Do.” In the time since its release, it has earned several millions streams and plays across platforms. What has it been like for you to see the life the song continues to have and what do you think it is about the song that struck a chord out of the gate?

DM: It’s been really cool! Especially because it’s a song that I was a part of writing. I co-wrote it with Terry McBride and Brett Beavers. That day was about as much fun as I’ve ever had in a writing room. It goes to show you that the more fun you have writing or creating something, it comes through in the music.

To be able to play that song all over the world and having people sing along with every word is pretty cool. Especially because it has that 90s country feel. It’s cool to see that there’s a place for music like that.

PC: You released your debut album, Dallas/Fort Worth, about two years ago. The album is split in two halves, with Dallas featuring more polished songs while Fort Worth captures a more honky tonk, swing style. How much did you enjoy getting to showcase both of those sounds on the album on one cohesive project?

DM: That record was the culmination of the first five years I spent in Nashville writing songs. I like to say that I’m trying to make old-school country in a new way. Dallas/Fort Worth gave us the opportunity to split those sounds up. Dallas is a big, sprawling city, Fort Worth is the more traditional side. That explains my music pretty well: I have the traditional side, but I’m also trying to reach for new things too.

PC: You released “I Got a Problem” as the lead single to your newest EP, Jukebox Songs, in late 2023. What drew you and your team to have “I Got a Problem” serve as both the lead single to the project and the first taste of new music after Dallas/Fort Worth?

DM: Singability. As soon as you hear that chorus, you can sing along by the end of it. It’s a fun song. After not releasing a whole lot of music for a while, it was cool to see people reacting to it and singing along to it at shows. It feels great singing it every night. It was an easy decision to go with that one as the lead single.

PC: You co-wrote track one on Jukebox Songs, “What I Couldn’t Forget,” with Derek Bahr and Marv Green. Can you take us in the room and talk about how the song came together?

DM: A lot of credit goes to Marv Green. Marv is one of the best writers in Nashville. I’m always sitting back in awe of him. He’s written some of my favorite songs from artists I love. He’s written a lot for George Strait; he wrote “It Just Comes Natural” and “True.” He came in with the idea for the song, and I knew exactly where he was going with it. We had the exact same vision.

We wanted to bring back the early-2000s country sound with that song. There was a revival of traditional sounds at that time, but something felt so new about it at the same time. It was an easy song to write, because I got to sit back and watch Marv do his thing.

PC: “Don’t Leave Me Loving You,” written by Ben Stennis, Bobby Pinson and Matt Rogers, has been one of the streaming favorites on Jukebox Songs since its release. Can you tell us how you heard the song and what drew you to record it?

DM: I listened to a ton of songs getting ready for this EP. I knew I wanted to involve the Nashville songwriting community and I wanted to get them excited about it. I heard the demo that Bobby sang. Something felt classic about the song. It has a message that anyone can relate to. I thought that I would love to sing that song every night, so I’m glad it found its way to me!