Songs I Grew Up On with Raleigh Keegan

This week, Raleigh Keegan joined The Nash News on Instagram Live to discuss the music that shaped him as an artist. He also chatted about his new album, A Tale of 7 Cities, which is coming out on Friday, June 24th.

1. James Taylor “Sweet Baby James”

Keegan and his brother were adopted, and his bond with his adoptive parents is strong and has brought him great joy over the years. His dad used to sing it to him and his brother for them to fall asleep. “That’s one of the sweetest memories of my entire life,” Keegan said. It would be impossible not to add a song that has such joyous and comforting memories attached.

2. The Eagles “One of These Nights”

The Eagles may not be what you think of when you think about country music but Keegan finds them inspiring because of their longevity in the music industry. “I honestly think they might be one of my biggest music influences,” explained Keegan. He told a story on the Live about a little kid that he saw earlier this week that knew the entire second verse of “Hotel California” by heart. Keegan states that he could have picked any song by The Eagles and they all would have shown just how inspirational their music could be.

3. Billy Joel “Piano Man”

Keegan found Billy Joel to be an amazing influence on his love for music. “I found a whole new love for music again,” Keegan exclaimed, having recently attended a Joel concert. Even though Joel isn’t a country artist, Keegan still takes great inspiration from his ability to draw a crowd and suck in fans from all ages and all walks of life.

4.Travis Tritt “Here’s a Quarter”

Travis Tritt is one of Keegan’s biggest inspirations in country music. “That is the best of country music, like all around,” Keegan said, “it’s sarcastic, it’s funny, but it’s also true and it’s super simple and super memorable.” His music speaks more to Keegan’s own style of songwriting and storytelling, serving as a direct inspiration for Keegan’s own music.

5. “Let It Be” The Beatles

A very common choice for artists across genres, Keegan states that The Beatles were a huge influence on him. “They invented modern pop music,” Keegan said, “Music in the 70s, 80s, and 90s would be completely different without them.” Similar to The Eagles, Keegan finds The Beatles to be a timeless influence on the music industry. While he remembers songs from his youth that have faded away in popularity, he recognizes that bands such as The Beatles have fan bases that haven’t even reached middle school yet.

Look out for Keegan’s new album, being released on Friday, June 24th and stop in to the Writer’s Round tonight at 7pm at the Assembly Food Hall in Nashville to catch Keegan perform alongside the other writer's on his project.

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