The latest talent to come out of Alabama isn’t a football star. It’s Gardendale native Josh Kinney, whose songs mix the feel-good charm of modern country music with the beat-heavy punch of pop. With influences ranging from old-school icons like George Strait and Motley Crue to modern hitmakers like Florida Georgia Line and Khalid, Kinney makes music that nods to the past while still pushing forward, putting a young, updated spin on the southern sounds he grew up with.

Kinney began writing songs at home, in a household filled with foster siblings and two hard-working parents. It was hard to find a quiet place to work with 12 children in the home, but that didn’t stop him from falling in love with both the challenge and craft of songwriting, strumming each new song on the acoustic guitar he received as a Christmas present at 14 years old. He even dreamt up new melodies while chasing down fly balls as a member of the school baseball team. “I’d be in the outfield, just singing in my head and finding a good hook,” he remembers. “The coach