From Country to Pop, Now Back to Country: Post Malone’s Long-Time Love for Country Music

In light of Post Malone releasing “F-1 Trillion” and officially entering the country music scene. It would be beneficial to learn just how much the genre means to the Texas native. The genre has been a pilot light for Malone’s career, as it was some of the first music he learned on guitar and is what got him hooked on becoming a musician.

Besides his recent country music endeavors, we’ve seen Malone do countless collaborations, covers, and other appearances in the field. That being so, Malone’s country music career has been years in the making.

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His First Gig

In a 2019 interview conducted by CBS Texas, the segment addresses Malone’s first gig. Malone played country music at his local Italian restaurant, Napoli’s, in his hometown of Grapevine, TX. Manager, Jaime Gage, recalls that Malone “played a lot of southern rock and a lot of country.”

It’s at Napoli’s where Malone’s taste and ability to perform country music came to fruition. Despite taking his hiatus, it is this experience that we have to thank for Malone delivering live country hits.

The Love for The Classic Country Sound

Even though his country music strictly falls into new wave country, Malone could not have found his sound if it was not for folks like Johnny Cash. Malone stated in a 2020 PowerfulJRE podcast that it was “the old school production” and “old school voice” that hooked him into loving country music.

He also told Joe Rogan that when he listens to country he goes “towards Colter and Tyler and Sturgill every time.” The reason for this is that Malone is infatuated with “that bounce, there’s something so magical about that classic fuckin’ bounce,” per the Rogan episode.

Even though Malone has yet to take any influence from outlaw and original country in his own country music. We still have to thank the sub-genre for attributing to Malone’s musical transition.

Texas Upbringing

To say the least, it was Malone’s upbringing in Grapevine, Texas that truly attracted him to the genre. It was his Dad, Rich Post, who got him started on Country Classics. And it was playing endless hours of Guitar Hero that made him pick up the real thing.

So even though Malone turned away from the genre for a bit, true fans always knew he’d turn back to it given his intrinsic love for the music he was raised on.

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