Newcomer Robert Counts Introduces His Smoke-and-Soul Country Sound

Country newcomer Robert Counts has just released his soulful self-titled EP debut on Sony Music Nashville … but that doesn’t mean much if you’ve never heard his name.

Serving up five tracks filled with feel-good wisdom, acoustic grooves and the smoky luxury of Counts’ authoritative voice, the project toes a line between heart-forward country and thinking-man’s rock — and in part one of a video bio premiering exclusively on Sounds Like Nashville, Counts explains where it all came from.

Filmed in Counts’ hometown of Franklin, Tennessee — just a few miles south of Nashville — the emotionally-fluent singer/songwriter admits he was on a completely different career path as a kid. He was actually prepping to head off to medical school when a visit home changed everything.

On a whim, Counts entered a songwriting contest at Franklin’s beloved Puckett’s Grocery & Restaurant — and after tapping into early influences like Alan Jackson and Travis Tritt, won the contest’s $500 first place prize, plus the confidence to leave school all together.

Counts began writing songs seriously, combining his country roots with a love of rockers like Bob Seger, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty and John Mayer, and soon scored a major label record deal. Now, he’s ready to present his craftsman quality songs as an artist.

“I want it to hit home,” Counts explains about his first batch of tunes. “I want it to be songs about my life that can translate to the lives of my fans … that they sense an honesty and integrity about what I do.”

Tracks like the romantic dreamcatcher, “Someone In My Someday,” and coming-of-age advice anthem, “Backseat Driver,” are primed to introduce the vocally-gifted prospect, and in part two (coming next week!) of Counts’ video bio he’ll explain more of his remarkable backstory — including how he captured the attention of Music Row.