The Batesville native's considerable baseball skills earned him a scholarship at Northwest Mississippi Community College, but upon graduating he decided to decamp to Nashville with a college friend and take a swing on the Music City scene. In 2014, after honing his writing chops at home and his performing skills at countless open-mike nights, Rodgers landed a publishing deal with Combustion/Atlas Music. A few years later he scored his first cut, "Wish You Were on It," which appeared on Florida Georgia Line's Dig Your Roots LP. In 2016 he issued his eponymous debut EP, which included the single "Midnight Daydream."
A high-profile opening slot with friend and frequent songwriting partner Luke Combs preceded the arrival of Rodgers' second eponymous EP. Released in late 2018 and produced by Mickey Jack Cones (Dustin Lynch, Joe Nichols) and Chris Farren, the five-song set featured "Some Girls," which climbed to number one on Billboard's Country Airplay chart in 2019. Rodgers returned in early 2020 with the rousing ballad "Grew Up in the Country," followed by the rowdy Luke Combs collaboration "Cold Beer Calling My Name." The Combs duet went to number two Country Airplay and it anchored not only the 2021 EP In It for the Money but Bet You're from a Small Town, Rodgers' full-length debut album, which was also released in 2021. ~ James Christopher Monger, Rovi