Musicians can inspire others beyond their creative artistry, and that’s certainly true of the country icon Parker McCollum hopes to emulate throughout his career in more ways than one. With three No. 1 hits on the Billboard Country Airplay charts and more music still on the way, McCollum is fixing to become a modern country icon in his own right. But when it comes to his strongest professional influences, he prefers to look backward to the 20th century.
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As he explained in a 2025 interview with People, his love of older country stars isn’t just a byproduct of musical nostalgia. When it comes to McCollum’s number-one inspiration, the Texas native is also looking at family values.
Parker McCollum Hopes To Emulate This Country Icon In Multiple Ways
Musicians are constantly looking at other musicians for inspiration. From the lyrics they write to the melodies and riffs they craft on their instruments, the ever-changing face of the music industry is a true testament to the adage, “iron sharpens iron.” Good music helps foster more good music. Strong branding helps lead others to find their unique creative vision, too. For Texas native Parker McCollum, he found himself consistently gravitating toward classic country, like Willie Nelson and Porter Wagoner, as well as moodier, more cerebral songwriters like Townes Van Zandt and Bob Dylan.
In addition to Nelson and Van Zandt, McCollum also looked up to another fellow Texan dubbed the “King of Country Music”: George Strait. The connection isn’t all that surprising, given McCollum’s roots. But hits like “Amarillo by Morning” and “Check Yes or No” aren’t the only things that drew McCollum to the black hat-clad singer-songwriter. As the young artist explained in a 2025 interview with People, he’s always admired Strait for who he was off-stage, too.
“I would love to be the next George Strait off the stage,” McCollum said. “Long marriage, great dad, great family man, great businessman, a spotless reputation, never been in trouble, never embarrassed his family on the news. I just think that’s so baller. I think there’s not going to be a lot of people in 50 years who still got it all together like that man does.”
The Singer-Songwriter Wants To Preserve Some Heroic Mystique, Too
As much as the average person might learn about a specific artist from their music, interviews, and things they read on the internet, these songs and factoids don’t truly reveal who that artist is as a person when the stage lights are off, the cameras are down, and they’re in their most relaxed, authentic state. And for Parker McCollum, never knowing exactly who George Strait is in this way is okay with him. The “Rest of My Life” singer has been listening to Strait since he was a kid growing up in Texas. Strait is, for all intents and purposes, a hero.
In a 2022 Southern Living interview, McCollum said he’d like to keep it that way. “He’s somebody that I really don’t truly desire to know personally. John Mayer’s the same way. I know so much about them, and I’m so influenced by them. There’s kind of these mystical figures that I’m always chasing, and they’ve set the standard for me as an artist. I just need that to remain that way. Once you’re in there and you know them personally, they don’t seem so high up on that mystical scale. It’s like when you’re a kid, how you look at him—I want that to remain that way in my life.”
To Parker McCollum, country icon George Strait is the ultimate artist: someone who pioneered neotraditional country while maintaining his family values and reputation. And McCollum is happy to keep Strait on that pedestal for as long as possible.
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