Before last week, the last taste of new music we’d heard from Rylie Bourne came in the form of “simpleton,” a deeply personal song, a year and a half ago. And though things were quiet from a release standpoint, Bourne was hard at work in writing rooms and in the studio, building her catalog.
Now, Bourne is back in a big way with “Company I Keep,” a rollicking bluegrass tune chock full of fantastic harmonies and “mando-damn-lin.” In the wake of “Company I Keep,” Bourne has no intentions of slowing down, as she’s already prepared its follow up, with more music coming down the pipeline.
We chatted with Bourne all about “Company I Keep,” as well as her musical family, a pivotal meeting with Vince Gill that spurred her to Nashville, new music and more!
Pro Country: Who were some of the earliest artists you remember hearing that struck a chord with you?
Rylie Bourne: I will always say Alison Krauss was my earliest and biggest inspiration, because I was singing her songs in my carseat, but the Dixie Chicks were probably a close second. Their record, Home, came out when I was in 2nd grade, and I still think it’s in my top five albums of all time. As I got older, I discovered Ashley Monroe and have loved everything she’s done solo and with the Pistol Annies. Honorary mentions to Nickel Creek, Miranda Lambert, Kacey Musgraves, Sarah Jarosz, Patty Loveless, Loretta Lynn, Tyler Childers and Eric Church, who also have all influenced me in one way or another along the way!
PC: Music goes back several generations in your family. Though you initially resisted performing, what was it that swayed you towards pursuing music?
RB: Yes! My Dad was in a bluegrass band my whole life up until about a year ago. His mother played mandolin and sang, and his Grandpa was a bass player and host for a radio show called the “Hoosier Hop,” which ran from 1932-1946. Even though it was a part of me and I did really love music and singing, I was just very shy and had no interest in performing outside of my bedroom. I can’t exactly remember what made me change my mind, but I finally approached my Dad when I was 16 and asked if I could start taking piano lessons. This was of course after he had bought me every other instrument under the sun to try to peak my interest as a child. I doubt he believed that I would stick with it that time, but I did! I took piano first and then guitar, and then wanted to start playing out some. I did a couple of open mics here and there, and ultimately started writing my own stuff when I was probably 19 or 20 or so. I’m so thankful to be on this path now. I definitely don’t know what else I would be doing with my life if it wasn’t for music, but I do know I’m also doing this for my family too. That’s what really still lights the fire for me.
PC: In a past interview, you’ve mentioned how instrumental your dad has been, especially in the early part of your career. Can you talk about how he helped you and helped lay your foundation?
RB: Yes! He’s really been my north star throughout this wild ride. From a really early age, he was introducing me to a lot of amazing music and set a standard for what it takes to actually do this thing. He was always encouraging me to step out of my comfort zone, to be proficient enough on guitar to accompany myself and, of course, made sure I knew my bluegrass and country music history.
PC: Before moving to Nashville, you released your debut, self-titled album in 2015. What emotions were you feeling as you were preparing to release music into the world for the first time?
RB: So many emotions. A lot of nervous excitement. It was such a big deal for me to hear my songs come to life. Up until that point, I don’t even think I had played the songs with a full band, ever. Honestly, it was just a collection of eight random songs that I had written by myself while I was in college and I really needed something to sell at my acoustic shows. I was working with Guthrie Trapp at the time, and he did a great job producing it and introducing me to such cool musicians and people. I was completely in over my head, but tried to soak it all in. I’m proud of that record for what it was to me.
PC: Your bio mentions a pivotal moment where, after advice from Vince Gill over breakfast, you decided to move to Nashville. Can you talk about that moment of realization and the feelings that came with moving so far from home?
RB: Totally. This was a really crazy moment [laughs]. The singer of my Dad’s bluegrass band, Duane (who is mentioned in my new song, “Company I Keep”) actually knew Vince and had sold him a guitar or two after the big flood here in Nashville. While I was down here on a family trip, I was able to meet with them both for breakfast. I won’t lie, I was pretty hungover that morning, and I ordered blueberry pancakes and took maybe one bite. Vince was calling me “Pancake” for the rest of the breakfast [laughs]. But, I did ask him a lot of questions, including what he thought about what it takes to “make it” in Nashville. His biggest piece of advice was to move here and to get in the mix of all of the great things happening. I already knew I wanted to move, but that conversation made the dream seem real. I’m nine years in, and it’s just as real as ever.
PC: Soon after moving to Town, you formed LoneHollow with Damon Atkins. Can you talk about the musical camaraderie you shared as a duo upon forming and what you liked about the band component?
RB: So Damon and I were part of this satellite program in Nashville (that isn’t around anymore) that was called Segue61. There were 10 of us total, and we were encouraged to write with each other and rehearse our songs, etc. We basically hit it off immediately, just from vibes. Our families are really similar, and we both had similar upbringings and music taste. After asking him to play a few shows with me in town, we eventually started writing new music of our own and started touring. We played as a duo a lot, but then, started to hit the road as a four or five piece band. I learned so much during that time and have zero regrets. I loved being in a band and all of us being great friends. I miss that aspect of it for sure. Damon and I are still each other’s biggest fans.
PC: In 2024, you released “Long Time Ago” with Gabe Lee and Lucciana Costa, which has since earned over 350,000 streams on Spotify alone. What was it like to see a song that you were a part of having that level of success?
RB: It is really cool! I met Gabe in 2019, and that’s when we first did the demo for the song. It just took us six years to get around to actually re-recording and releasing it! It’s a great song, and he’s a great songwriter, so I’m really glad that it has resonated with people.
PC: In a previous interview, you mentioned that your 2024 single, “simpleton,” changed the way you viewed songwriting. Can you describe how writing that song made you feel and what you captured with it?
RB: I remember just needing to process all of my emotions around my parents selling my childhood home. We wrote this song, I think, a month before it sold. I had the first couple of lines for it, and Matt (Koziol) helped me sift through everything I was feeling and find what I was really trying to say. It was like a therapy session [laughs]. Before that, I’ll just say that I hadn’t been writing from such a vulnerable space. Whatever that cathartic feeling was changed the game for me. I just wanted to continue to be more honest, and that song will forever be a really special moment in time for me.
PC: Your new single, “Company I Keep,” is your first release since “simpleton.’ With that layoff between releases, how excited are you to have “Company I Keep” released?
RB: SO excited! The process of releasing music always takes a little longer than you think, so I’m just so happy to have something new and fresh out there. It definitely showcases a different side of me.
PC: Can you take us in the room and talk about how “Company I Keep” came together?
RB: I wrote this song two years ago with Jon Decious and Collin Nash. They are two of my favorite writers and people in this town. I had the title in my phone and a little tag line like “wonder what it says about me” or something like that. Anyway, we were telling these stories of people we knew and grew up around, the company we kept, and how they shaped us into who we are now. A lot of it is true, some of it isn’t. We just had so much fun writing it, and I think I knew we had something special when we left that day. 🙂
PC: Your bio mentions that the two years in between releases were spent building your catalog and writing for other artists. How much music did you amass, and what can listeners expect to hear after “Company I Keep”?
RB: It’s hard to say how much material I have now, but it’s definitely more than I thought was possible a couple of years ago. I’ve got another (really honest) song ready to drop right after “Company I Keep,” and then I think I’ll just figure out what feels like the next right move from there. I also am allowed to say now that my favorite all-female bluegrass band, Sister Sadie, just cut two of my songs for their upcoming album, which is such a dream come true! And don’t worry, there’s a lot more where that came from!
PC: After the release of “Company I Keep,” what do you have planned for the rest of 2026?
RB: Oh man! More songs, more shows, more travel! I’m starting to want to get back out on the road again, but I got married last year and we’re going through the process of buying a house, so we’ve been busy! These past few years have been so important to my growth as an artist, and I am really grateful and excited for the future.
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