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Riley Johnson

Riley Johnson

  • Riley Johnson covers country music’s legends, tributes, and the stories behind the songs for Country Thang Daily.
  • Her beat includes the Grand Ole Opry, Hall of Fame moments, gospel and faith in country music, and the artists who built the genre.
  • When a legend is honored, remembered, or back in the spotlight, Riley is usually the one writing it.

Riley Johnson writes about the heart of country music: the legends, the tributes, and the moments that remind fans why they fell in love with this music in the first place.

What Riley Covers

  • Country legends and classic artists, from Dolly Parton and George Strait to Alan Jackson and Willie Nelson
  • Tributes, memorials, and the artists we have lost
  • The Grand Ole Opry, Hall of Fame inductions, and career milestones
  • Gospel, faith, and family in country music
  • The stories behind classic songs

How We Report

Every Country Thang Daily story is checked against primary sources before it goes live. Read our Fact-Checking Policy and Corrections Policy.

Get in Touch

Have a story tip or spot something we got wrong? Contact the Country Thang Daily team.

Riley's Track Record

Updated automatically from published stories.

1,766stories written for Country Thang Daily
2020writing for CTD since December 2020
473Legends & Classics stories 377Songs & Music stories 253Stars stories

Artists Riley Covers Most

Number of stories per artist.

Dolly Parton101
Willie Nelson65
Reba McEntire51
Alan Jackson48
Miranda Lambert45

Most Read Stories by Riley

Ranked by how many readers opened them.

Latest Stories

The Full Landman Soundtrack Is Here and It’s Packed With Country Heavyweights

The Landman soundtrack is loaded with country heavyweights like Turnpike Troubadours, Lainey Wilson, and Ella Langley. Stream the full playlist now on Spotify and Apple Music.

Willie Nelson Admits There’s Just One Thing That Would Make Him Step Away From Music

Willie Nelson says he will only quit music when his beloved guitar Trigger gives out. Here's the badass story behind their legendary bond and why that moment will mark the end of an era in country music.

Willie Nelson Tried to Quit Music in 1972 and Came Back More Dangerous Than Ever

Willie Nelson tried to quit music in 1972, but his short-lived retirement sparked the outlaw revolution. He came back with Shotgun Willie and changed country music forever.

You’ve Been Hearing Merle Haggard’s “If We Make It Through December” All Wrong

Merle Haggard's "If We Make It Through December" isn't just a Christmas song, it's a raw, working man's prayer about survival, heartbreak, and holding on for better days.

Kenny Chesney Played a Bigger Role in the Florida Georgia Line Breakup Than Anyone Realized

Kenny Chesney unknowingly played a key role in the Florida Georgia Line breakup, and one passed-up song quietly became the turning point that ended it all.

Ella Langley Honors George Strait With a Beautifully Simple Cover of “Fool Hearted Memory”

Ella Langley delivers a raw and powerful acoustic cover of George Strait's "Fool Hearted Memory," proving timeless country still hits hardest when sung with heart.

Cody Johnson Recalls Being So Broke at Christmas He Couldn’t Afford Ramen and Then a Miracle Showed Up in the Mail

Cody Johnson remembers the Christmas he was so broke he gave away his last twenty dollars, then came home to a miracle waiting in the mailbox.

Billy Bob Thornton’s LANDMAN Character Blasts “The View” as Pissed Off Millionaires Bitching About Trump and Everyday Folks

Billy Bob Thornton's Landman character takes a savage jab at The View in Season 2 Episode 5, delivering a viral-worthy line that fires up Taylor Sheridan's already blazing script.

Tim McGraw and Faith Hill’s Youngest Daughter Just Made Her Acting Debut in LANDMAN

Audrey McGraw, daughter of Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, makes her acting debut in LANDMAN and proves she is a rising star both on screen and in music.

Garth Brooks Once Made Someone Believe They Scored Big With a Fakeout Christmas Gift

Garth Brooks pulled off a hilarious Christmas prank by gifting two cans of beets in a Beats headphone box at a family gift exchange, proving he can win the holidays with humor and heart.

The Country Star Who Lost Three Fingers, Relearned Guitar, and Landed in Disney and Hollywood Westerns

Country music pioneer Wesley Tuttle lost three fingers in a childhood accident but relearned guitar, became a Capitol Records star, voiced Disney's Snow White, and lit up Westerns with his wife, Marilyn.

Alan Jackson Pulled a Wild Stunt to Get Denise’s Attention and It Somehow Turned Into a Marriage

Alan Jackson once hid in the backseat of Denise's car to get her attention, and that wild stunt somehow led to a real-life country love story that still stands strong today.

Miranda Lambert Opens Up About Writing “Over You” With Blake Shelton After His Family Tragedy

Miranda Lambert reflects on writing "Over You" with ex-husband Blake Shelton, a powerful tribute to Shelton's late brother that turned personal grief into one of country music's most heartfelt songs.

‘Landman’ Is Coming Back for Season 3 and the Team Says They’ve Got Much More to Unleash

Paramount+ renews Landman for Season 3 after its explosive Season 2 premiere, and the creators say they've only just begun to dig into the drama, power plays, and Texas-sized storytelling.

A Christmas Classic Took Seven Years and Two Stubborn Songwriters To Finally Come to Life

"Mary Did You Know?" has become a modern Christmas classic, but it took two writers and seven years to finish the song that now stirs hearts every December.

Charlie Daniels Got His Big Break Thanks to a No-Show Guitarist on Bob Dylan’s 1969 Album

Charlie Daniels got his big break when Bob Dylan's guitarist failed to show up in 1969, leading to a career-defining moment that launched the future country legend into the spotlight.

17-Year-Old Titus Thornton Sounds Like Keith Whitley Reincarnated in Viral “Miami, My Amy” Performance

Seventeen-year-old Titus Thornton stuns the internet with a powerful cover of Keith Whitley's "Miami, My Amy," proving real country music is alive and well in the hands of the next generation.

Dolly Parton’s Goddaughter Once Covered “Jolene” and Some Say It’s the Best Version Since the Original

Miley Cyrus stripped it down for a raw take on "Jolene" and showed the world her country blood runs deep. Even Dolly Parton had to stand back and smile.

Kelly Clarkson Gave Up Songwriting Royalties to Avoid Being Tied to a Producer She Couldn’t Stand

Kelly Clarkson turned down co-writing credit and millions in royalties on a No. 1 hit to make one thing clear. She did not want her name anywhere near Dr. Luke's.

Kelly Clarkson Dropped the Most Insane Ella Langley Cover and Now Everyone Is Begging for Her Country Album

Kelly Clarkson just tore through Ella Langley's "Weren't For The Wind" like a Texas storm, and fans are not asking anymore. They want a full country album now.

Country Music Lost a Legend Four Years Ago Who Crashed the Opry Before Even Scoring a Record Deal

Stonewall Jackson made Opry history without a label deal and spent six decades proving why. Four years after his death, his story still kicks like a mule.

Tammy Wynette Never Meant to Start a Fire With “Stand By Your Man” but It Lit Up the Whole Damn Country

Tammy Wynette wrote "Stand By Your Man" in 15 minutes and spent the rest of her life defending it. She just wanted a love song, and the world gave her a war.

Kenny Rogers Topped Every Chart With a Song Lionel Richie Wrote in Just Five Minutes

Kenny Rogers made chart history with "Lady," a song Lionel Richie wrote in five minutes and finished in a Vegas bathroom stall.

Waylon Jennings Had to Fight Columbia Executives to Get Willie Nelson’s ‘Red Headed Stranger’ Released

Waylon Jennings went toe-to-toe with Columbia Records to defend Willie Nelson's raw and stripped-down Red Headed Stranger album.

Lorrie Morgan Took the Opry Stage for Its 100th Anniversary and Delivered a Stunning “Something in Red”

Lorrie Morgan stunned the Opry crowd with a powerful "Something in Red" performance during its 100th anniversary, turning heartbreak into one unforgettable country moment.

Kellie Pickler Stepped Away From the Public Eye After Losing Her Husband and People Are Wondering Where She Is Now

After losing her husband, Kellie Pickler stepped away from the spotlight to grieve in private. Now, fans wonder if a quiet return to music might be on the horizon.

Tracy Lawrence Faced a Turkey Fry Disaster but a Thanksgiving Miracle Saved the Day

Tracy Lawrence lost 650 turkeys before his 20th annual Turkey Fry, but country stars and fans rallied to save the day and feed over 50,000 people in a true Thanksgiving miracle.

Charlie Rich Recorded a Song That Got Banned From the Radio but Still Became His First No. 1 Hit

Charlie Rich's "Behind Closed Doors" was banned from the radio for being too bold, but still became his first No. 1 hit and changed the course of country music.

A Viral Country Song Had Music Legends Begging for a Release But the Artist Said He Was Broke Until a Musical Genius Stepped In

Kenny Whitmire's porch-cut heartbreak went viral, legends begged for a release, he said he was broke, and Charlie Puth built the track from TikTok audio, too.

A Rising Country Singer Posted One Song on TikTok and Country Legends and Pop Stars Are Begging for the Full Version

Kenny Whitmire's TikTok porch song, "I Gave Her The Moon," stopped the scroll, pulling in Luke Combs, Tracy Lawrence, and Charlie Puth, demanding more.