KAITLIN BUTTS ENLISTS HONKY TONKS AROUND THE GLOBE TO REVEAL THE TRACK LISTING FOR HELLO, HONKY TONK

There’s no better place to reveal a record called Hello, Honky Tonk than a honky tonk. This week, Tulsa-born singer/songwriter Kaitlin Butts enlisted honky tonks around the globe to unveil the track listing for her highly anticipated fourth studio album, Hello, Honky Tonk, out October 30 via Republic Records. Pre-save Hello, Honky Tonk HERE.

Beginning Monday this week, a different honky tonk or legendary music venue unveiled a new song from the album each day, turning the track-listing announcement into an international bar crawl through the world Butts created for Hello, Honky Tonk. From Nashville and Tulsa to Texas, Oklahoma, Wyoming, Wisconsin, Sydney and London, the daily reveals have brought the album’s complete 14-song track listing into that neon light.

The venues participating in the weeklong reveal include some of the most iconic honky tonks and live music rooms in the country and abroad, including Billy Bob’s Texas, Cain’s Ballroom, the Grand Ole Opry, Luckenbach Texas, John T. Floore’s Country Store, Skinny Dennis and the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar, as well as Sydney’s Jolene’s and London’s Duke’s of Highgate.

“Hello, Honky Tonk is really a world of its own,” says Butts. “There are all these characters and stories and little moments happening inside of it, so I thought it would be fun to let the places that inspired that world introduce the songs. Honky tonks are where these stories live, so who better to tell you what’s coming?”

After a week of daily reveals, the complete list of participating honky tonks and venues include: Billy Bob’s Texas, Fort Worth, TX, Cain’s Ballroom, Tulsa, OK, Grand Ole Opry, Nashville, TN, Luckenbach Texas, Luckenbach, TX, Showboat Saloon, Wisconsin Dells, WI, Jolene’s, Sydney, Australia, Million Dollar Cowboy Bar, Jackson, WY, Tower Theatre, Oklahoma City, OK, John T. Floore’s Country Store, Helotes, TX,  Skinny Dennis, Nashville, TN, Harry’s Northgate, College Station, TX, Duke’s of Highgate, London, England, Brewster Street, Corpus Christi, TX and The Newberry, Great Falls, MT. 

The track listing reveal follows a string of new music from Hello, Honky Tonk, including “What More Could You Want,” which Country Central says, “two-steps towards something that feels built for props and blocking in a musical” along with tracks “I Wanna Be Bad” and “Never Really Mine.” The recently released “What More Could You Want” is a languid, Broadway-ready piano ballad and autobiographical sketch of a performer questioning how much more she has to give.

“That song feels exactly word for word what I feel like every day,” says Butts. “This tug and pull of loving this and craving this and loving to be on stage, loving every creative moment but also being stressed out wondering, ‘Do you like me? Do I need to be shinier? Do you want more?’”

Named one of Rolling Stone’s most anticipated albums for 2026, Hello, Honky Tonk is a love letter to the honky tonks and nightlife that have shaped Butts while becoming a huge part of her life on the road. Recorded in Nashville with producer Tofer Brown (Carter Faith, Willow Avalon, Little Big Town), the album brings to life a bar like no other, populated by a cast of characters listeners might recognize from the dance floor, behind the bar or from the corner booth.

Inspired in part by the vaudeville vignettes of Chicago and Disney World’s Country Bear Musical Jamboree, Butts envisioned Hello, Honky Tonk as a place where all of these characters could coexist.

“The thought behind the concept was how in Chicago, the character Roxie Hart is dreaming up what her show would look like and all the people in it,” says Butts. “I picture all of this happening at Skinny Dennis here in Nashville. These are all the different people in the room. There's the bar fight that's happening. There's the bad girl that just got off work. There's me being the entertainer. There are so many people that really love the nightlife. It’s a connector for people.”

The album continues the momentum of Butts’ critically acclaimed Roadrunner! in 2024, a bold reimagining inspired by Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! that landed on numerous year-end best-of lists and featured her viral anthem “You Ain’t Gotta Die (To Be Dead To Me),” which has amassed more than 157 million TikTok views and 67 million global streams.

Butts will celebrate the release of Hello, Honky Tonk with her Hello, Honky Tonk Live and In Person Tour, kicking off October 29 at Nashville’s Skinny Dennis before continuing with stops across Texas and Oklahoma in December. Her performance at Skinny Dennis sold out in four hours. Tickets for the remaining shows are available at kaitlinbutts.com.

HELLO, HONKY TONK LIVE AND IN PERSON TOUR DATES
Oct. 29 — Nashville, TN — Skinny Dennis SOLD OUT
Dec. 10 — College Station, TX — Harry’s Northgate
Dec. 11 — Helotes, TX — Floore’s Country Store
Dec. 12 — Corpus Christi, TX — Brewster Street Ice House
Dec. 17 — Oklahoma City, OK — Tower Theatre
Dec. 18 — Fort Worth, TX — Billy Bob’s Texas

For the latest news, music and tour dates, visit kaitlinbutts.com and follow @kaitlinbutts on Instagram and Facebookand @kaitlinbuttsmusic on TikTok.

KAITLIN BUTTS TAKES HELLO, HONKY TONK LIVE AND IN PERSON WITH SPECIAL TOUR DATES TO CELEBRATE ITS RELEASE

With her fourth studio album Hello, Honky Tonk set to arrive October 30 via Republic Records, Tulsa-born singer/songwriter Kaitlin Butts is taking the album’s colorful cast of characters, theatrical spectacle and late-night energy on the road to celebrate its release with the Hello, Honky Tonk Live and In Person Tour. 

The six-date run kicks off October 29 at Nashville’s Skinny Dennis, the day before the release of Hello, Honky Tonk, before making stops at Honky Tonks across Texas and Oklahoma in December with support from singer/songwriter Meels. Tickets go on sale Friday, October 2 at 10 a.m. CT at kaitlinbutts.com.

“I’ve spent so much time imagining this honky tonk and all the people who inhabit it, so getting to actually bring it to life in the rooms that inspired it feels really special,” says Butts. “I can’t wait to play these songs live and celebrate this record together.”

Hello, Honky Tonk Live and In Person Tour Dates
Oct. 29 — Nashville, TN — Skinny Dennis
Dec. 10 — College Station, TX — Harry’s Northgate
Dec. 11 — Helotes, TX — Floore's Country Store
Dec. 12 — Corpus Christi, TX — Brewster Street Ice House
Dec. 17 — Oklahoma City, OK — Tower Theatre
Dec. 18 — Fort Worth, TX — Billy Bob’s Texas

Named one of Rolling Stone’s most anticipated albums for 2026, Hello, Honky Tonk is a love letter to the honky tonks and nightlife that have shaped Butts while becoming a huge part of her life on the road. Recorded in Nashville with producer Tofer Brown (Carter Faith, Willow Avalon, Little Big Town), the album brings to life a bar like no other, populated by a cast of characters listeners might recognize from the dance floor, behind the bar or from the corner booth.

Inspired in part by the vaudeville vignettes of Chicago and Disney World’s Country Bear Musical Jamboree, Butts envisioned Hello, Honky Tonk as a place where all of these characters could coexist.

“The thought behind the concept was how in Chicago, the character Roxie Hart is dreaming up what her show would look like and all the people in it,” says Butts. “I picture all of this happening at Skinny Dennis here in Nashville. These are all the different people in the room. There's the bar fight that's happening. There's the bad girl that just got off work. There's me being the entertainer. There are so many people that really love the nightlife. It’s a connector for people.”

The upcoming tour follows a string of new music from Hello, Honky Tonk, including the recent releases “What More Could You Want,” “I Wanna Be Bad” and “Never Really Mine.” “What More Could You Want,” a Broadway-ready piano ballad and autobiographical sketch of a performer questioning how much more she has to give, offers an intimate glimpse behind the curtain of the album’s larger-than-life world.

“That song feels exactly word for word what I feel like every day,” says Butts. “This tug and pull of loving this and craving this and loving to be on stage, loving every creative moment but also being stressed out wondering, ‘Do you like me? Do I need to be shinier? Do you want more?’”

The album continues the momentum of Butts’ critically acclaimed Roadrunner! in 2024, a bold reimagining inspired by Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! that landed on numerous year-end best-of lists and featured her viral anthem “You Ain’t Gotta Die (To Be Dead To Me),” which has amassed more than 157 million TikTok views and 67 million global streams.

For the latest news, music and tour dates, visit kaitlinbutts.com and follow @kaitlinbutts on Instagram and Facebookand @kaitlinbuttsmusic on TikTok.

Kaitlin Butts Asks "What More Could You Want" Ahead of 'Hello, Honk Tonk' (10/30)

Tulsa-born singer/songwriter Kaitlin Butts turns inward with “What More Could You Want,” the latest offering from her upcoming fourth studio album, Hello, Honky Tonk, arriving October 30 via Republic Records. A Broadway-ready piano ballad, the song is an autobiographical sketch of a performer looking at herself in the mirror and asking how much more she has to give. 

Listen to “What More Could You Want”  Below and pre-save Hello, Honky Tonk HERE. 

Where other songs from Hello, Honky Tonk revel in the colorful characters, nightlife and theatrical spectacle of the honky tonk, “What More Could You Want” pulls back the curtain to reveal the person at the center of it all. The result is an intimate meditation on the complicated relationship between performing, seeking approval and wondering whether what you give is ever enough.

“That song feels exactly word for word what I feel like every day,” says Butts. “This tug and pull of loving this and craving this and loving to be on stage, loving every creative moment but also being stressed out wondering, ‘Do you like me? Do I need to be shinier? Do you want more?’”

Written from the perspective of someone who has spent years entertaining others while constantly questioning what they see when the lights go down, “What More Could You Want” offers one of the most exposed moments on Hello, Honky Tonk. The song’s restrained piano and unhurried pace leave plenty of room for Butts’ words to land, trading the larger-than-life spectacle of the honky tonk for a private moment of self-reflection.

Also available today, the music video for “What More Could You Want” directed by Chris Beyrooty. Continuing to find inspiration in the vaudeville vignettes of movie musical Chicago and Disney World’s beloved Country Bear Musical Jamboree, the clip brings the album’s cover to life giving Butts her own Teddi Barra moment.

It was during a recent trip to see the original Jamboree before it was updated, a favorite of hers as a kid, that inspiration struck. “When Teddi Barra came down from the ceiling on her swing, my mom and I just looked at each other and I was like, ‘That is me,’" she says of the cowboy-hatted, feather-boa sporting brown bear who inspired the album’s cover.  

While Butts fantasizes about the lives of those who come to her virtual honky tonk, she hopes that fans walk out of it not just knowing her better, but themselves as well.

“All these songs are very deeply personal to me, and I relate to them word for word,” she says. “But my intention is never just to be relatable. I hope people find their own lives within the whole thing.”

Named one of Rolling Stone’s most anticipated albums for 2026, Hello, Honky Tonk is a love letter to the honky tonks and nightlife that have shaped Butts while becoming a huge part of her life on the road. Recorded in Nashville with producer Tofer Brown (Carter Faith, Willow Avalon, Little Big Town), the album brings to life a bar like no other, populated by a cast of characters listeners might recognize from the dance floor, behind the bar or from the corner booth.

The album’s theatrical world was inspired in part by the vaudeville vignettes of Chicago and Disney World’s Country Bear Musical Jamboree. Butts, who began performing in musical theatre as a child, envisioned the album as a place where all of these characters could coexist.

“The thought behind the concept was how in Chicago, the character Roxie Hart is dreaming up what her show would look like and all the people in it,” says Butts. “I picture all of this happening at Skinny Dennis here in Nashville. These are all the different people in the room. There's the bar fight that's happening. There's the bad girl that just got off work. There's me being the entertainer. There are so many people that really love the night life. It’s a connector for people.”

“What More Could You Want” follows Butts’ recent releases “I Wanna Be Bad” and “Never Really Mine.” Together, the songs offer glimpses of the wide-ranging characters, emotions and musical theatricality that await when listeners say Hello, Honky Tonk on Oct. 30. 

The album continues the momentum of Butts’ critically acclaimed Roadrunner! in 2024, a bold reimagining inspired by Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! that landed on numerous year-end best-of lists.

The new project marks Butts’ first full-length release since signing with Republic Records in October 2025 and follows The Yeehaw Sessions, her fan-favorite EP featuring genre-bending takes on songs including Chappell Roan’s “Red Wine Supernova,” Jimmy Eat World’s “The Middle,” The Chicks’ “Sin Wagon” and Don Williams’ “Tulsa Time,” alongside her viral anthem “You Ain’t Gotta Die (To Be Dead To Me),” which has amassed more than 157 million TikTok views and 67 million global streams.

Butts continues to expand her creative footprint both onstage and behind the camera. Earlier this year, she joined Willow Avalon on “Hypothetically Speaking” and its official video, starred in Ella Langley’s music video for the award-winning hit “Choosin’ Texas,” co-directed and wrote the treatment for Flatland Cavalry’s “Unglued” and joined The Band Perry on the reimagining of their hit “You Lie (Forever Version).”

She has also joined Lainey Wilson on her Whirlwind Tour and Ella Langley on The Dandelion Tour, headlined her own sold-out overseas tour with the European Cowgirl Experience and was featured in the Country Music Hall of Fame’s American Currents exhibition for the second consecutive year. She was also nominated for a 2026 MusicRow Award for Breakthrough Artist of the Year and was named to both the 2025 Opry NextStage class and the CMT Next Women of Country class.

For the latest news, music and tour dates, visit kaitlinbutts.com and follow @kaitlinbutts on Instagram and Facebookand @kaitlinbuttsmusic on TikTok.

Kaitlin Butts Says "I Wanna Be Bad" - Track Available Now; New Album, 'Hello, Honky Tonk' Coming 10/30

Boundary-pushing, Tulsa-born singer/songwriter Kaitlin Butts is following the announcement of  her upcoming fourth studio album, Hello, Honky Tonk, arriving October 30 via Republic Records, with the release of “I Wanna Be Bad,” available everywhere today. Named one of Rolling Stone’s most anticipated albums for 2026, the LP is a love letter to the honky tonks and nightlife that have shaped Butts while becoming a huge part of her life on the road. Listen to “I Wanna Be Bad” HERE and pre-save Hello, Honky Tonk HERE.

Written by Butts with Natalie Hemby, the song follows her critically acclaimed “Never Really Mine,” giving fans another glimpse into the world of Hello, Honky Tonk. With a playful invitation to cut loose, “I Wanna Be Bad” captures the uninhibited spirit at the heart of Butts’ forthcoming album. With a rowdy, rallying cry, she declares:

Oh and sometimes...I wanna go crazy
Oh and sometimes I wanna go maniac mad
I wanna smoke and drink and party
and dance all on the floor
Maybe kiss a cowboy
Maybe even more
Sometimes I wanna be bad

The zany and jubilant official music video for “I Wanna Be Bad” was also released today. Directed by Butts and frequent collaborator Chris Beyrooty and shot at Nashville’s Cross-Eyed Critters karaoke bar, the video finds her whirling through a madcap honky tonk fantasy filled with everything you might want for a memorable night out…Texas-sized beers, line dancing, drag queens and even some animatronic animals.  The video sets the tone for an album inspired by the vaudeville vignettes of movie musical Chicago with a dash of Disney World’s beloved Country Bear Musical Jamboree. Watch the video Below. 

Recorded in Nashville with producer Tofer Brown (Carter Faith, Willow Avalon, Little Big Town), Hello, Honky Tonk promises to bring about a night of laughter and tears at your favorite honky tonk, complete with a cast of characters listeners might recognize from the dance floor, behind the bar or from the corner booth. Filled with her sharp wit, theatrical sensibility and genre-bending musicality, it promises to be a vivid snapshot of a bar like no other.

“The thought behind the concept was how in Chicago, the character Roxie Hart is dreaming up what her show would look like and all the people in it,” says Butts, who began performing in musical theatre herself as a child and loved the idea of vaudeville-style vignettes.  Another light bulb flickered on during a recent trip to see the original Jamboree before it was updated. The vintage sensibility of the Nashville-inspired stage show, a favorite of hers as a kid, felt like home.  “When Teddi Barra came down from the ceiling on her swing, my mom and I just looked at each other and I was like, ‘That is me,’" she says of the cowboy-hatted, feather-boa sporting brown bear who inspired the album’s cover."   

She continues, “I picture all of this happening at Skinny Dennis here in Nashville,” she says of a popular honky tonk in town.  “These are all the different people in the room. There's the bar fight that's happening. There's the bad girl that just got off work. There's me being the entertainer. There are so many people that really love the night life. It’s a connector for people." 

“I Wanna Be Bad” follows Butts’ recent release “Never Really Mine,” a sharp-witted, self-assured take on jealousy and romantic freedom written by Butts alongside Maggie Antone and Lola Kirke, which Saving Country Music called “a pure, traditional country song.”

“I Wanna Be Bad” continues the introduction into the world of Hello, Honky Tonk, offering fans another glimpse at the characters, attitude and theatrical energy that have come to define Butts’ sound following her critically acclaimed album Roadrunner! in 2024, a bold reimagining inspired by Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! that landed on numerous year-end best-of lists.

The new project continues a whirlwind year for Butts, who has expanded her creative footprint both onstage and behind the camera. Earlier this spring, Butts joined Willow Avalon on her song “Hypothetically Speaking” and its official video, starred in Ella Langley’s music video for the award-winning hit “Choosin’ Texas,” co-directed and wrote the treatment for Flatland Cavalry’s “Unglued” and joined The Band Perry on the recent reimagining of their hit “You Lie (Forever Version).”

The album marks her first full-length project since signing with Republic Records in October 2025 and releasing The Yeehaw Sessions, a fan-favorite EP featuring her genre-bending takes on songs including Chappell Roan’s “Red Wine Supernova,” Jimmy Eat World’s “The Middle,” The Chicks’ “Sin Wagon” and Don Williams’ “Tulsa Time,” alongside her viral anthem “You Ain’t Gotta Die (To Be Dead To Me),” which has amassed more than 157 million TikTok views and 67 million global streams.

Butts continues to earn widespread critical acclaim for her fearless approach to country music and storytelling. Joining Lainey Wilson on her Whirlwind Tour, Ella Langley on The Dandelion Tour, headlining her own sold-out overseas tour with the European Cowgirl Experience, alongside features in the Country Music Hall of Fame’s American Currents exhibition for the second consecutive year, a 2026 MusicRow Award Nomination for Breakthrough Artist of the Year and membership in both the 2025 Opry NextStage class and the CMT Next Women of Country class.

Hello, Honky Tonk arrives October 30 via Republic Records. “I Wanna Be Bad” is available everywhere now.

For the latest news, music and tour dates, visit kaitlinbutts.com and follow @kaitlinbutts on Instagram and Facebook and @kaitlinbuttsmusic on TikTok.

Kaitlin Butts Delivers 'Hello, Honky Tonk' Album on 10/30; "I Wanna Be Bad" Offers Taste of New Music on 8/14

Boundary-pushing Tulsa-born singer/songwriter Kaitlin Butts is inviting listeners out for a night at her favorite honky tonk with the announcement of her new album, Hello, Honky Tonk, arriving October 30 via Republic Records. Named one of Rolling Stone’s most anticipated albums for 2026, the LP is a love letter to the honky tonks and night life that have shaped her while becoming a huge part of her life on the road. This Friday, August 14, Butts offers another taste of her upcoming fourth studio album with new song “I Wanna Be Bad.” It follows the critically-acclaimed “Never Really Mine,” giving fans another glimpse into the world of Hello, Honky Tonk. Pre-save the album HERE and “I Wanna Be Bad” HERE.

Inspired by the vaudeville vignettes of movie musical Chicago with a dash of Disney World’s beloved Country Bear Musical Jamboree, Hello, Honky Tonk promises to bring about a night of laughter and tears at your favorite honky tonk, complete with a cast of characters listeners might recognize from the dance floor, behind the bar or from the corner booth. Filled with her sharp wit, theatrical sensibility and genre-bending musicality it promises to be a vivid snapshot of a bar like no other.

“With every song, I saw a character in a honky tonk,” says Butts. “I’ve always loved the film version of Chicago and the way the musical numbers are presented almost like these little vaudeville vignettes, where you get to step into a character’s mind for a few minutes. I wanted to bring some of that feeling into a honky tonk and create this whole cast of characters that you might run into on a night out. There’s also a little bit of Country Bear Jamboree in there, because I realized recently it might be one of my earliest country music influences. This album is really a love letter to the honky tonks and the stages that have become my life on the road.”

The forthcoming track and album follow Butts’ recent release “Never Really Mine,” a sharp-witted, self-assured take on jealousy and romantic freedom written by Butts alongside Maggie Antone and Lola Kirke which Saving Country Music called “a pure, traditional country song.”

“I Wanna Be Bad” continues the introduction into the world of Hello, Honky Tonk, offering fans another glimpse at the characters, attitude and theatrical energy that have come to define Butts sound following her critically-acclaimed album Roadrunner! in 2024, a bold reimagining inspired by Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! that landed on numerous year-end best-of lists.

The new project continues a whirlwind year for Butts, who has expanded her creative footprint both onstage and behind the camera. Earlier this spring, Butts joined Willow Avalon on her song “Hypothetically Speaking” and its official video, starred in Ella Langley’s music video for the award-winning hit “Choosin’ Texas,” co-directed and wrote the treatment for Flatland Cavalry’s “Unglued” and joined The Band Perry on the recent reimagining of their hit “You Lie (Forever Version).”

The album marks her first full length project since signing with Republic Records in October 2025 and releasing The Yeehaw Sessions, a fan-favorite EP featuring her genre-bending takes on songs including Chappell Roan’s “Red Wine Supernova,” Jimmy Eat World’s “The Middle,” The Chicks’ “Sin Wagon” and Don Williams’ “Tulsa Time,” alongside her viral anthem “You Ain’t Gotta Die (To Be Dead To Me),” which has amassed more than 157 million TikTok views and 67 million global streams.

Butts continues to earn widespread critical acclaim for her fearless approach to country music and storytelling. Joining Lainey Wilson on her Whirlwind Tour, Ella Langley on The Dandelion Tour, headlining her own sold-out overseas tour with the European Cowgirl Experience, alongside features in the Country Music Hall of Fame’s American Currents exhibition for the second consecutive year, a 2026 MusicRow Award Nomination for Breakthrough Artist of the Year and members of both the 2025 Opry NextStage class and the CMT Next Women of Country class.

Hello, Honky Tonk arrives October 30 via Republic Records. “I Wanna Be Bad” is available everywhere this Friday, August 14.

For the latest news, music and tour dates, visit kaitlinbutts.com and follow @kaitlinbutts on Instagram and Facebook and @kaitlinbuttsmusic on TikTok.

Kaitlin Butts Offers First Taste of New Music with "Never Really Mine" via Republic Records

Boundary-pushing Tulsa-born fiery artist Kaitlin Butts continues her breakout year with the release of her new song “Never Really Mine,” available everywhere today via Republic Records. Listen to “Never Really Mine” Below. 

“At a festival in Austin, my husband and I were walking through the crowd to get backstage, and someone essentially catcalled my husband as I was holding his hand. It actually made me laugh out loud because she was right – he is ‘foiinneeee,’” said Butts.
 
“When we got backstage, my friend Fernando asked me if that ever bothered me, and I said, ‘a man that can be taken from me was never really mine.’ I thought about how much I wish other women felt that way and that they had that same security as I do. He doesn’t have a wandering eye, and if someone ever took his attention away, I wouldn’t be tugging at him to stay with me. I would want him to go on and get her.”

Written by Butts alongside Maggie Antone and Lola Kirke, the track captures the sharp-witted humor and fearless honesty that have become signatures of Butts’ songwriting.

“I brought the song to my friends Lola Kirke and Maggie Antone on a beautiful Sunday afternoon in Nashville,” shares Butts. “I had the first couple lines to the song and that hook, and I just knew they were the perfect women to write it with. I can feel their wisdom and their heartbreak alongside mine weaved in every line.”

Built around a devastatingly simple realization, “Never Really Mine” delivers one of Butts’ most cutting choruses to date:

The release follows a whirlwind 2026 for Butts, who joins on Willow Avalon’s new song “Hypothetically Speaking” and its official video and she’s continued expanding her own creative footprint both onstage and behind the camera. Earlier this spring, Butts starred in Ella Langley’s music video for the award-winning hit “Choosin’ Texas” and co-directed and wrote the treatment for Flatland Cavalry’s “Unglued.”

Next week, Butts makes her CMA Fest debut with performances on the Chevy Riverfront Stage on Saturday, June 6 at 4 p.m. and the Nissan Stadium Platform Stage at 9 p.m. She’s also slated for Billboard Country Live at Category 10 on Friday, June 5 during the festival weekend.

The release arrives as Butts wraps her sold out headlining European Cowgirl Experience and an appearance at Highways Festival at London’s legendary Royal Albert Hall as well as stops across the UK including Leeds, Manchester, Glasgow, Belfast and Dublin, bringing her captivating live show overseas once again.

The new track is Butts’ first new music since the release of The Yeehaw Sessions last year, her first project since signing with Republic Records in October 2025. The fan-favorite EP featured her genre-bending takes on songs including Chappell Roan’s “Red Wine Supernova,” Jimmy Eat World’s “The Middle,” The Chicks’ “Sin Wagon” and Don Williams’ “Tulsa Time,” alongside her viral anthem “You Ain’t Gotta Die (To Be Dead To Me),” which has amassed more than 157 million TikTok views and 67 million global streams.

In 2024, Butts earned widespread critical acclaim for her album Roadrunner!, a bold reimagining inspired by Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! that landed on numerous year-end best-of lists. She also recently joined Lainey Wilson on her Whirlwind Tour, was featured in the Country Music Hall of Fame’s latest American Currents exhibition for the second year in a row. She was named to both the 2025 Opry NextStage class and the CMT Next Women of Country class.

For the latest news and tour dates, visit kaitlinbutts.com and follow @kaitlinbutts on Instagram and Facebook and @kaitlinbuttsmusic on TikTok.

Singer-Songwriter Kaitlin Butts Releases New 'Yeehaw Sessions' EP

Acclaimed Nashville-based singer, songwriter and performer Kaitlin Butts continues a banner year with the release of her highly anticipated new EP, Yeehaw Sessions, available today via Republic Records. The project marks Butts’ first release since signing with the major label, and it captures the Oklahoma native at her most playful, soulful, and self-assured yet. Listen to Yeehaw Sessions HERE. 

Butts gave fans an early taste of the collection late last month with her reflective and emotionally charged rendition of the Jimmy Eat World classic “The Middle,” which has already earned widespread acclaim. Garden & Gun hailed it as “the cover you didn’t know you needed” while Billboard praised it as “Must Hear” and noted, “Butts’ version comes across as tender, wise, and thoughtful” while Saving Country Music added, “Leave it to Kaitlin Butts to take a Jimmy Eat World song and make it into a sentimental and touching country tune.”

“A couple years ago I put out an EP called Sad Yeehaw Sessions, a collection of sad covers that I have always loved and wish I had written myself,” Butts explains. “After releasing Roadrunner! which featured much happier songs, I wanted folks to know that there were brighter days ahead. So we created the antithesis — something upbeat, rowdy, and fun: all cover songs that I’ve been performing live the last couple years.”

Following in the spirit of her beloved 2022 Sad Yeehaw Sessions EP, Yeehaw Sessions flips the script — this time channeling joy, rowdiness and the electric energy of her live show. After road-testing these crowd favorites, Butts recorded them with the energy and spirit fans have come to love. The EP features her takes on “Red Wine Supernova” (Chappell Roan), “Sin Wagon” (The Chicks), “Tulsa Time” (Don Williams) and her viral smash “You Ain’t Gotta Die (To Be Dead To Me)” — alongside her memorable take on “The Middle.”

To celebrate the release, Butts returns to the legendary Billy Bob’s Texas in Fort Worth at 10 pm to headline a special Yeehaw Night. Limited tickets remain HERE. And watch the new video for “Red Wine Supernova” below. 

Throughout 2025, Butts has captivated audiences across the country on tour with Sierra Ferrell, Lainey Wilson, Molly Tuttle, Wyatt Flores, The Lone Bellow and Flatland Cavalry. She’s also joined Ella Langley and Brothers Osborne on stage and electrified festivals including Lollapalooza, Two Step Inn, C2C and Breakaway Festival. She was also named to Opry NextStage’s “Class of 2025” and CMT’s Next Women of Country Class of 2025.

For the latest news and tour dates, visit kaitlinbutts.com and follow @kaitlinbutts on Instagram and Facebook and @kaitlinbuttsmusic on TikTok.

ABOUT KAITLIN BUTTS:
Kaitlin Butts' fearless approach to country music is helping her reach new heights. In 2024, Butts released her acclaimed album Roadrunner!. She leaned into her lifelong love of musical theater and dreamed up a modern-day reimagining of the soundtrack to her all-time favorite musical, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!, which ended up on numerous best-of year-end lists. Butts also hit the road hard in 2024, making her Lollapalooza debut as well as opening for Dierks Bentley, Brothers Osborne and Flatland Cavalry, and trekked across the U.S. on her first-ever coast-to-coast headlining tour.

2025 has been another banner year for the Tulsa-born, Nashville-based artist. In addition to her viral anthem, “You Ain’t Gotta Die (To Be Dead To Me),” amassing over 157 million TikTok views and 67 million global streams, she joined Lainey Wilson on her Whirlwind Tour and was featured in the Country Music Hall of Fame’s latest American Currents exhibition. Butts also joined the 2025 Opry Next Stage Class as well as the CMT Next Women of Country Class of 2025. Showing no signs of slowing down, she just landed a deal with Republic Records launching her next chapter with the Yeehaw Sessions EP available now. 

Singer/Songwriter Kaitlin Butts Signs to Republic Records; New 'Yeehaw Sessions' EP Coming Nov. 14

Gaining traction as one of country music’s fastest-rising artists, acclaimed Nashville-based singer, songwriter, and performer Kaitlin Butts will unveil her new Yeehaw Sessions EP on November 14, 2025. It notably marks the celebrated rising star's debut under her recently minted deal with Republic Records. Pre-order/Pre-save Yeehaw Sessions EP HERE.
 
"From releasing my album over a year ago as an independent artist, to having a viral song, to now signing a record deal with such a prestigious label like Republic Records, the journey has felt nothing short of surreal,” shares Butts. "I’m so inspired by the Republic team and how their vision aligns with the dreams that I’ve always had for myself.”
 
Kicking off this next chapter in earnest, she just shared a powerfully moving cover of the Jimmy Eat World classic “The Middle” giving fans the first taste of the forthcoming  EP. Listen to “The Middle” Below.
 
The woman declared “unafraid to test boundaries,” by Rolling Stone, spikes this pop-punk staple with serious Oklahoma soul. Stripping back the arrangement back to bare acoustic guitar, slide, fiddle, and dobro, her vocals especially shine as she delivers the instantly recognizable hook with a whole lot of heart. Ultimately, this version of “The Middle” illuminates Butts’ impressive range and uncanny ability to make even the most recognizable track her own with respect and reverence.

"It has been such an incredible year! And in the midst of these great things — viral songs, huge tour opportunities — all that positive attention can bring with it some negative moments too. I was feeling particularly down about myself after some of those negative comments online and starting to wonder if maybe they were right. Then one night at karaoke with friends — because that’s what I, as a professional singer, do to make myself feel better,” Butts shares with tongue firmly planted in cheek, “this girl started singing 'The Middle,' a song that I was very familiar with but reading the lyrics on the screen, it was the first time I was able to take in what the song meant and I started to tear up. I needed to hear those words in that exact moment. It was a reminder to me that I’ve worked my entire life for this dream, and I’ll be damned if I let some keyboard warrior rain on my parade. I hope my version meets someone the way that song met me in that moment."
 
On the music video, she shares: "In Jimmy Eat World’s original music video, a girl shows up to a party, strips her coat at the door and walks into a party where everyone is in their underwear. In this video, I wanted to pay tribute to that and throw my band in the back of a truck like we were on our way to that party,” Butts says. "I called up Chris Beyrooty to direct and we headed to Taylor Sheridan’s Bosque Ranch in Weatherford, TX. With the band dressed in their skivvies, we hit record and captured something hilariously beautiful." 
 
In the spirit of her first covers EP, 2022’s Sad Yeehaw Sessions, the Yeehaw Sessions sees Butts re-record, reimagine, and reinvigorate a handful of personal favorite tunes accompanied by her live band. 
 
“A couple years ago I put out an EP called Sad Yeehaw Sessions, a collection of sad covers that I have always loved and wish I had written myself.” Butts shares. “It fit perfectly with my album at the time, What Else Can She Do, which I had written during a difficult time in my life. After releasing Roadrunner!, which features much happier songs, I wanted folks to know that there were brighter days ahead. In keeping with that theme, we've created the antithesis of Sad Yeehaw Sessions, something upbeat, rowdy and fun….all cover songs that I’ve been performing live the last couple years."  
 
After road-testing these renditions much to the delight of audiences everywhere, she has outfitted the EP with covers of “Red Wine Supernova” by Chappell Roan, “Sin Wagon” by The Chicks,” “Tulsa Time” by Don Williams, as well as “The Middle.” Plus, it boasts a new recording of her viral hit “You Ain’t Gotta Die (To Be Dead to Me),” infusing it with a rush of energy.

She will celebrate the arrival of Yeehaw Sessions on November 14 with a very special headline show at the largest honky-tonk in the world—Billy Bob's in Fort Worth, TX. Tickets are available HERE.
 
Throughout 2025, she has captivated crowds everywhere on tour with Sierra Ferrell, Lainey Wilson, Molly Tuttle, Wyatt Flores, The Lone Bellow and Flatland Cavalry. Renowned for her stage presence, she’s also played with the likes of Ella Langley and Brothers Osborne in addition to electrifying festivals, including Lollapalooza, Two Step Inn,C2C, and Breakaway Festival. Not to mention, Opry NextStage touted her among its “Class of 2025,” and CMT named her as part of its CMT Next Women of Country Class of 2025.
 
For the latest news and tour dates visit kaitlinbutts.com, and follow along on Instagram, Facebook and @kaitlinbutts and on TikTok @kaitlinbuttsmusic.

Kaitlin Butts Releases Official Music Video for Viral Hit "You Ain't Gotta Die (To Be Dead To Me)"

Rising country/Americana singer/songwriter Kaitlin Butts has released the official music video for her viral anthem, “You Ain’t Gotta Die (To Be Dead To Me),” a track that has taken on a life of its own across TikTok and streaming platforms. Recently spotlighted in Variety for its runaway virality, the song has become a favorite for fans and artists alike, amassing over 123 million TikTok views, 8 million global streams, and inspiring thousands of fan-created videos that showcase its biting lyrics. Watch the video Below.  

The track is featured on her critically lauded album Roadrunner!, which Holler described as “something worthy of the silver screen.” The new video written and conceived by Butts and directed by Chris Beyrooty delivers on that cinematic promise. It harkens back to a classic western tale where the woman declared “unafraid to test boundaries,” by Rolling Stone, is the one administering her own brand of wild west justice offering a striking and comedic take on the track.

“Making this music video was something I’ve wanted to do since I put out this album,” shared Butts. “I’ve had the treatment for it since January 2024, when I was writing the videos for ‘Wild Juanita’s,’ ‘Hunt You Down’ and ‘Other Girls.’ When ‘You Ain’t Gotta Die’ started to have its viral moment, I was so excited to create something I’ve had in my head for so long. We looped in director Chris Beyrooty to help me bring it all to life and I could not be more pleased with how it turned out. I took some inspiration from some of my favorite movies, Holes, Django Unchained and Chicago. Expect a little dance with a side of blood, lipstick and justice.”

The video follows the breakout success of Butts’ 2024 album, Roadrunner!, which solidified her as one of the most inventive songwriters in modern country. She leaned into her lifelong love of musical theater and dreamed up a modern-day reimagining of the soundtrack to her all-time favorite musical, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!. It was praised as “epic, involved, entertaining, and thought-provoking” by Saving Country Music and hailed as “a brilliant showcase of what happens when you believe in yourself so much – and so well – that the world is left with no other purpose than to bend to your desires, whatever they may be,” by The Tennessean while No Depression called Butts “one of the more creative songwriters making country music right now” the much buzzed about troubadour is showing no signs of slowing down.
 
With a fearless songwriting style that blends humor, vulnerability, and theatricality, Butts has earned a reputation for music that pushes creative boundaries. “You Ain’t Gotta Die (To Be Dead To Me)” has quickly become a defining moment of her career, bridging the acclaim of Roadrunner! with the viral energy of a new fan-favorite anthem.

This year, Butts will bring her live show to stages across the country, joining some of the genre’s biggest names. She will open for Lainey Wilson on her worldwide Whirlwind Tour, hit the road with Molly Tuttle on The Highway Knows Tour and join Ella Langley on her Still Hungover Tour. She will also reunite with Flatland Cavalry as part of their Flatland Forever(more) Tour, while making appearances at major fairs and festivals, including a highly anticipated set at AmericanaFest 2025.
 
For the latest news and tour dates visit kaitlinbutts.com, and follow along on Instagram, Facebook and X @kaitlinbutts and on TikTok @kaitlinbuttsmusic.

About Kaitlin Butts: 
“Unafraid to test boundaries” (Rolling Stone), Kaitlin Butts fearless approach to country music is helping her reach new heights. In 2024, Butts released her acclaimed album Roadrunner!. She leaned into her lifelong love of musical theater and dreamed up a modern-day reimagining of the soundtrack to her all-time favorite musical, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!, which ended up on numerous best-of year-end lists. “With the last album I wanted to write about the struggles I’d seen people go through or experienced myself, so a lot of the songs had a sadness or darkness to them,” Butts explains. “I feel like Roadrunner! is much closer to what I’m like onstage, where there’s real emotion and truth but also humor and a tendency to poke fun. It’s all those different versions of me at once.” Butts also hit the road hard in 2024, making her Lollapalooza debut, opening for Dierks Bentley, Brothers Osborne and Flatland Cavalry, and trekking across the U.S. on her first-ever coast-to-coast headlining tour.
 
In 2025, the Tulsa-born, Nashville-based Butts is gearing up for another banner year. Butts will join Lainey Wilson on her Whirlwind Tour this Summer, and will also be featured in the Country Music Hall of Fame’s latest American Currents exhibition. In the exhibit, Butts is featured alongside artists like Lainey Wilson, Miranda Lambert, Luke Combs, Chris Stapleton and others. Butts has also joined the 2025 Opry Next Stage Class alongside Kashus Culpepper, Tigerlily, Tucker Wetmore, Dasha, Avery Anna and Chayce Beckham, as well as the CMT Next Women of Country Class of 2025.