Mike Ryan Drops Honky-Tonk Scorcher, ‘Jacket On’

Sometimes, the ex we thought we knew all too well might surprise us...

Written by Jeremy Chua
Mike Ryan Drops Honky-Tonk Scorcher, ‘Jacket On’
Mike Ryan; Photo credit: Colin Zamarripa

On Friday (Oct. 8), country singer/songwriter Mike Ryan released a traditional country-leaning uptempo new song, “Jacket On.” Sonically organic and robust, the track offers a lyrical twist on a break-up situation listeners may be all too familiar with.

Written by Ryan, Brent Anderson and acclaimed singer/songwriter Brandy Clark, the track opens with the signature fiddle work of 2019 CMA Musician of the Year Jenee Fleenor. “Ring on my phone, knock on my door / Kiss on a wine glass, dress on the floor / Her lips on my lips, and my hands on her waist / Blonde hair falling, on my pillowcase,” the singer details in the alluring first verse. 

Trouble soon ensues as Ryan uncovers the devilish facade of his love interest. “She aint the kinda girl who’d tell a lie / She meant it for good when she told me goodbye / She said ‘hell would freeze over ‘fore she ever came home’ / I guess the Devils got a jacket on,” he sings in sober realization. 

“I really love the premise of this song, about a woman who says she’s never coming back – not even if hell freezes over, and then the unexpected happens,” Ryan tells Sounds Like Nashville. “Sometimes it’s a lyric, a character or a situation that inspires a song, and after we all got to talking, Brandy had sketched out an idea for the characters and the plot, and brought her incredible perspective to the session.”

He adds, “I’m a big fan of hers and Brent is a longtime collaborator of mine and I loved working with the two of them on this song.”

A San Antonio, TX native, Ryan has clinched a total of seven No. 1 singles on the Texas country radio charts to date, with songs such as “Ghost Town” and “Damn Good Goodbye.” Earlier this year, the rising country star also dropped the breezy up-tempo, “Can Down.” Later this winter, he will open up for Riley Green on select dates of his We Out Here Tour. 

Stream “Jacket On” and other new country releases on the New Nashville playlist below. To see Ryan out on the road, visit https://mikeryanband.com.