White geared up for Country Rumble

Jun. 14—LIMA — Country artist Drake White is set to bring his brand of country soul to this year's Country Rumble Music Festival starting Friday, June 21 and finishing Saturday, June 22 at the Allen County Fairgrounds.

White, whose new album "Life, Love and War" comes out this Friday, said he is looking forward to bringing good vibes to the lineup, which also features Lonestar, Raelynn, Morgan Evans and Derek Alan.

"The fans out there have always been super energetic and a very good audience," White said. "They've always been curious what we've got to say and how we put it into a song. They just like our kind of funky country and it's always fun to go to a place where it's celebrated."

The concert should be the perfect soundtrack to summer.

"It's summertime and being good friends with Raelynn and knowing some of the guys from Lonestar, I know it's always a party," White said. "It's really fun to take the stage with them because it's the middle of summer and we'll have great music and it will be a great time."

For White, that kind of atmosphere fits perfectly into the message he wants to send to the audience.

"I had a pretty near-death experience with a stroke back in 2019 and that changed a lot of my songwriting into a kind of hopeful tone," he said. "I had to teach myself how to walk again at 35 years old and came out of that, but it's also a party. There are some serious notes of tenacity and motivation, but it's also an Appalachian folk-soul party."

The Northeast Alabama native takes special inspiration from the Muscle Shoals sound that combines funk and soul with country and grew up listening to southern rock acts like the Allman Brothers and Marshall Tucker Band, as well as outlaw country artists like Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings.

"It's very relatable music to the guys and girls out there who are just living life," White said. "Music is something that I do and I'm willing to die for it, but I live my life and write about those experiences. I'm a servant to the people with a great band and there's no AI that can replace it."

Above all, White wants the audience to leave his set Saturday night with one thing in mind: people are good.

"There's more good than bad and the best is yet to come," he said. "Turn off the TV and come have a beer and a conversation and shake some hands. There are real people doing real things in this country and it's in better shape than what's on TV. I just can't wait to have a party with real people and hang out before and after the show because we're available out there."

For more information and to purchase passes to the festival, visit bit.ly/3Xp5RDy.

For more information on White, visit drakewhite.com.

Reach Jacob Espinosa at 567-242-0399.