Austin Michael’s career began with a comic whimper.
In 2019, when the North Texan was just 15, he was a short-lived contestant on American Idol, where judge Luke Bryan described his blond good looks as if Justin Bieber and Alan Jackson “had a child.” To make things worse, Bryan hoisted him onto his shoulders so he could literally lasso another judge, Katy Perry.
Today, at 22, Michael’s a serious singer-songwriter: He wrote or co-wrote all 13 songs on his new album, Lonestar, which comes out March 6 — the same day he plays the Grand Ole Opry.
He grew up on a 14-acre ranch in Van Alstyne, north of Dallas, and in “Barrel Racin’,” he sings about missing his hometown whenever he’s in Nashville. “Music City’s got me thinkin’ I’m all in / But sometimes that ain’t enough / I could use a little back-home red dirt dust.”
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