Belonging to a class of country singers who slyly incorporate modern R&B rhythms into their bright, tuneful, mainstream country-pop -- a class that also features
Sam Hunt and
Thomas Rhett --
Russell Dickerson first started to gain traction in late 2015 with the single "Yours." The track hit number one on the Country Airplay charts in 2017, starting a series of three CA chart-toppers for
Dickerson ("Blue Tacoma" and "Every Little Thing" followed in 2018), that set up the 2020 release of his second album,
Southern Symphony.
As a native of Nashville,
Dickerson grew up in the thick of Music City and by the time he hit college, he knew he wanted to pursue music professionally. He completed a degree in music at Belmont University and in 2010 scored representation with Creative Artists Agency, who helped him land a publishing deal in addition to repping him as a performer.
Dickerson's first attempt at a solo career -- 2011's "That's My Girl" -- didn't go anywhere, but in 2013, "Green Light" became a hit on satellite radio. Over the next couple of years,
Dickerson's music became poppier, a makeover that paid off once "Yours" became a country radio hit in late 2015, leading to the release of the
Yours EP in 2016. The EP was expanded into a full-length album of the same name the following year, which reached number five on Billboard's Country Albums Chart and landed a pair of hits with "Blue Tacoma" and the gold-selling single "Every Little Thing."
February 2020 saw the release of the single "Love You Like I Used To," which hit number five on Billboard's Country Songs chart and paved the way for
Dickerson's second full-length. Released in December 2020,
Southern Symphony featured a guest appearance by
Florida Georgia Line and spawned a second Top 30 country single with "Home Sweet." It also hit number 14 on Billboard's Top Country Albums chart. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine