Max McNown (Night 2)

Max McNown creates the kind of songs that perfectly soundtrack our most intimate moments: times of intense heartache and tremendous loss, immense upheaval and life-changing revelation. Within just a year of teaching himself to play guitar, the Oregon-bred, Nashville-based musician turned out three EPs spotlighting his emotionally potent yet nuanced lyrics—an element beautifully displayed on his breakout single “A Lot More Free,” a track that landed on Billboard’s Emerging Artists chart and greatly expanded his grassroots following. Anchored in the charmingly warm vocal presence he partly honed by busking at the beach in Southern California, McNown’s debut album Wandering brings an even deeper sense of purpose to his songwriting—and, in turn, reveals his extraordinary capacity to ease the mind and strengthen the soul.

At 22, McNown has already been on a storied musical journey. Taking control of his future and drawing inspiration from his brother who was bravely fighting cancer, McNown packed his bags and drove from remote Oregon to Southern California. From there, videos of him busking on a pier made an impact online and eventually grew into a legion of supporters on TikTok.

After attracting interest from major TV talent shows, McNown auditioned for one and then decided it wasn't for him, and gracefully turned them down as he knew he needed to walk his own path. His loyal fanbase then helped McNown amass 80 million streams and a spot on Billboard’s Emerging Artists chart with his breakout single, “A Lot More Free,” which was recently #1 on the TikTok Breakthrough USA chart.

When wrestling with inevitable moments of self-doubt in the creative process and his fast moving career, McNown looks back to insight shared by his mother. “When I was younger I sang around the house all the time—I’d sing in the shower or before I went to bed, I’d always sing in the car,” he says. “My mom used to tell us growing up that singing means you have a happy heart. Even if the song’s about something difficult or painful, I still have a happy heart when I sing.

We see ourselves in our favorite songs. They reflect our strengths and remind us of our potential. Jonathan Hutcherson infuses country with uplifting affirmations culled from his own real-life underdog journey. Belting right from the gut as he wears his heart on his sleeve, he shares his truth without filter. Generating streams in the millions and receiving acclaim from the Tennessean and more, he forges a close connection to audiences on his 2021 self-titled debut EP.

“Music is innately human,” he observes. “It moves people. Storytelling is so important to what I do. When you listen to me, I want you to relate and hopefully see yourself in the songs. I have a lot I want to say.

Among his earliest memories as a child in Kentucky, Jonathan recalls singing in church. As captured on a grainy home movie, he even belted out “Victory In Jesus” in front of the whole congregation one Sunday (while directing the choir). He recognized an innate predisposition for singing and songwriting even with “moderate to severe hearing loss.” 

Wearing hearing aids since the age of two, he nevertheless gravitated to music from the first moment he could.

“It’s funny how my purpose involves my ears,” he smiles. “My mom kept a journal for me. When I was really little, she wrote, ‘I don’t know what he’s going to do, but he’s going to do music—either teach it, sing it, play it or write it’. I’ve learned how to deal with my hearing. It’s not what defines me, but it’s part of the unique story I get to tell.”

In between local talent shows, his parents brought him to the Kentucky Opry throughout middle school. He competed fiercely with show-stopping renditions of staples such as John Michael Montgomery’s “Sold” and Alabama’s “Mountain Music,” often placing near the top. Around the same time, he taught himself how to play guitar on YouTube and embraced a tried-and-true approach. “I felt at home when I sang old Dolly Parton, George Jones, Johnny Cash, and Elvis Presley tunes,” he admits. “I continue to pull a lot of influence from those classics.”

At 16-years-old, he auditioned for NBC’s The Voice and ended up on Team Pharrell Williams. His appearance on the show boosted his confidence. After his final high school test, he bolted straight to Nashville on February 1, 2018—a date he memorialized with a tattoo on his arm. His independent single “Strangers” racked up 1 million-plus Spotify streams as he logged countless sessions around Music City, balancing a job at Lowe’s to stay afloat. In 2019, he caught the attention of Creative Nation and signed a publishing and development deal. Co-writing with the likes of Parker Welling, Jamie Moore, Josh Jenkins, and Heather Morgan, he spent the next year cultivating his sound, drawing equally from those formative gospel influences, classic country, and homegrown bluegrass with a twist of modern pop.