Get to know 3 emerging artists on Whiskey Jam stage at Braves Country Fest

Artists who have been a part of Whiskey Jam performances in Nashville include Morgan Wallen, Luke Combs, Lainey Wilson and each of the four headliners for Braves Country Fest: Cody Johnson, Ella Langley, Ernest and Mackenzie Carpenter.

“We don’t contribute to the explosion of their career to any degree, but we do like to be part of that initial experience,” Guenther said. “It’s a very important thing to the community to still have small rooms like ours to play, make your friends and test your songs out in a real environment that’s not TikTok or Instagram.”

Now, three of the next rising group of stars will showcase their music at The Battery on Saturday. Here’s what to know about the trio, each of whom spoke with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

Zach John King

A Fayetteville native and lifelong Braves fan, King has been opening for Wallen on a stadium tour that’s also included Langley.

“It just feels like a movement in a cool way,” King said. “It’s just different. It’s something to aspire for for me, too. I’m looking at it at the very top and I’m like, ‘How do I get there? What do I need to do to get there?’”

King grew up going to Turner Field with his family. His sister even attended Chipper Jones’ last game, which included the infamous infield-fly-rule play. King saw the Braves walk off the Dodgers in the 2021 National League Championship Series in person.

“What an awesome year to do (this festival) now that we’re playing the best baseball that I’ve ever seen us play,” he said. “I cannot remember a year where we started out this well. This team just feels special. A lot of star power, but it feels like we’re playing really good team baseball.”

King was a behavioral therapist in Athens before his music career took off, working with children on the autism spectrum for several years. He loved the job and cherished making an impact in people’s lives, but he still felt the calling he’d heard since getting a guitar at age 8.

“As great as that job was, I still caught myself daydreaming about playing music,” he said. “That’s when I think I knew I could try to run away from that calling, but it was just what I was supposed to do.”

In 2022, King took the risk. The relocation to Nashville has paid off relatively quickly compared to how those pursuits can often unfold. And King feels he’s still helping people through his music.

His music combines the traditional country sound learned in his youth with the indie rock he enjoyed in his teen and young adult years. He hopes listeners appreciate his lyrics’ authenticity.

Scoot Teasley

Teasley hails from Toccoa, a small northeast Georgia town near the South Carolina border. He’s a longtime Braves and Georgia Bulldogs fan, even having done songs dedicated to them both in “The Chop” and “Perfect Season.”

Before Teasley was forging his path in country music, before he co-wrote the hit “Home” for award-winning artists Shaboozey and BigXthaPlug, and before he was performing in Nashville’s Nissan Stadium for CMA Fest last weekend, Teasley was sitting in Truist Park watching the Braves clinch the 2021 World Series.

“My favorite Braves memory was Game 6 of the World Series in 2021,” said Teasley, who was working at FedEx in Athens back in those days. “I was in Truist watching the game on the Jumbotron.”

Teasley is a true new-age artist in that his career was sparked on TikTok. He initially just sang in church but decided to start sharing his voice on social media. “I was posting videos to see what would happen, got an opportunity and just ran with it and it all snowballed,” he said.

Now, Teasley is back at The Battery, this time on a stage. Expect to hear lots of love for Toccoa, which Teasley carries with him as his career has accelerated in Nashville. Teasley merges country themes with soul and hip-hop influences that make for something fresh and apt for the genre’s expanded umbrella.

“Where country music is right now is great,” he said. “You have collabs with rappers, Christian artists; country music is diversifying a lot, and it’s really cool to see.”

Colton Bowlin

The 21-year-old Bowlin is from Albany, Kentucky, and still resides in his hometown despite the allure of Nashville for most up-and-coming artists.

“I don’t like to get too far from my roots,” he said. “I’m sure Nashville holds a lot of great opportunities, but I’m doing pretty good without it for right now.”

Bowlin gets recognized just about everywhere in Albany, from the dollar store to fast-food joints. “The other day I went through McDonald’s and they gave me free apple pies,” he said, laughing.

Bowlin grew up a Reds fan but always admired the Braves and especially Jones. He called this weekend’s opportunity “surreal, a blessing.”

While country music continues to evolve, Bowlin is preserving the more traditional sound. He describes his music as “Appalachian sounds with some classic country soul.” His lyrics emphasize his connection with his roots and day-to-day relatability — “besides the murder ballads; hopefully nobody relates to them too much,” he said.

Bowlin released his sophomore album “Grandpa’s Mill” earlier this year, a tribute to his late grandfather and the feed mill near where Bowlin grew up.

“I was around my grandpa a lot. I always looked up to him more than anybody,” he said. “Those songs are telling stories about stories I’d heard.

“I think they play a big part in who I am today. In my words and in my songs, you can definitely hear that. They play a big part in my music and who I try to be as a man.”