The song follows his documentary
Nashville singer-songwriter Drake White celebrates what matters the most on an upbeat and undeniable new single entitled “Tradition.” Available across all digital platforms, he co-wrote the song with Kelly Archer (Bailey Zimmerman, Brett Young) and Justin Ebach (Luke Bryan, Jon Pardi), while Jason Gantt (Jordan Davis, Tim McGraw) produced it.
“I’m a country/soul singer from Hokes Bluff, Alabama who was raised by two hard-working blue-collar Americans,” White says about the new release. “They raised me to sing the knowledge that we are our traditions, and a tradition is kept alive only by what we add to it. Light fire! It’s time.”
The song’s buoyant cadence evokes the energy of a family get-together you never want to end. Soulful harmonies pepper a soundscape brimming with warmth stoked by claps, flavorful guitar solos, and the pluck of a loose banjo. The momentum climaxes on a chantable chorus as White simultaneously sets the scene in vivid detail, “It’s a cold beer and river fishing, a repetition of a way of living, I’m just keeping alive tradition.” One last guitar solo and vocal crescendo drive it all home.
With the recent premiere of the powerful and poignant documentary, Ladder to the Sky: A Hunts the Healing Story, White pulls back the curtain on his journey from the brink of death following a shocking on-stage stroke in 2019. Through candid new interviews, the troubadour tells this story in his own words, joined by friends such as Riley Green, Zac Brown, Kid Rock, Realtree, and more. Ultimately, hunting brought him back to his feet, back to the stage, and back to life. Streaming now exclusively on YouTube, the feature-length film was directed by Holt Ingalls and produced by White, Ingalls, Zack Knudsen, and Rev White Pictures in association with Hatchee Productions.
In a few weeks, White is headlining his second Benefit For The Brain concert at Ryman Auditorium in Nashville on November 17th. The stacked bill includes Green, Jon Pardi, Kassi Ashton, and more special guests alongside White.
Promising to be an inspiring night in support of a great cause, White’s non-profit, The Benefit For The Brain, will donate and disperse proceeds from the show to select charity organizations covering three pillars close to White’s heart: mental wellness for military and veterans, especially PTSD; brain health in children and adolescents, and innovative approaches to stroke recovery and neurological treatment. The inaugural installment sold out the Ryman, welcomed a diverse cohort of A-list artists (Green, Randy Houser, Jamey Johnson, Colbie Caillat), and raised over $253,000 in the process.
“Tradition” follows his latest releases, “Nuthin’ But a Smile” and “Nights on Fire.” White will bring these new songs on the road as he canvases North America through the end of 2025. Currently touring as support on the Riley Green: Damn Country Music Tour, White will then headline his Keep It Movin’ Tour this fall before joining Green’s 2026 Cowboy As It Gets Tour. White will also play various festivals plus shows with friends such as Chase Rice, Travis Tritt, and Colt Ford.
