Overview of #669 - Riley Green on Theo Von
This episode is a loose, funny, and wide-ranging conversation between Theo Von and country artist Riley Green. They spend much of the interview talking about Green’s Alabama roots, his love of farm work, the grounding effect of manual labor, and how his upbringing shaped his music and outlook. The two also dig into career pressure, authenticity, touring, hunting, acting, The Voice, and a number of off-the-rails side jokes that keep the tone light and conversational.
Main Topics Discussed
Riley Green’s Alabama upbringing and family influence
- Green grew up in Jacksonville, Alabama, in a tight-knit small-town environment.
- He talks about being surrounded by grandparents, parents who worked hard, and a strong sense of family and local tradition.
- His grandfather Buford and other family members heavily influenced his love of country music and storytelling.
- He shares that his song “Grandpas Never Die” was written as a tribute to his grandfathers and eventually became especially meaningful after success came.
Farm life, construction, and the need for something “real”
- Green says working on his farm is one of the most relaxing and grounding things he does.
- He likes operating bulldozers, tractors, clearing land, building roads, and making tangible progress he can see at the end of the day.
- Both he and Theo connect this to the appeal of manual labor: it pulls you out of your head and gives you a sense of completion that touring and entertainment don’t.
- He says the farm also helps him disconnect from his phone, the road, and the nonstop pace of the music business.
Success, pressure, and staying authentic
- Green reflects on how his career is already beyond what he once imagined, which gives him a sense of peace.
- At the same time, he feels pressure to keep moving forward and not coast after a hit or award.
- He stresses the importance of staying true to who he is, rather than trying to drastically reinvent himself.
- He says authenticity matters more than ever because social media makes it easy for audiences to see through an act.
Touring, fans, and career growth
- Green talks about how touring keeps getting bigger every year, but also how he still prefers venues that feel intimate enough for fans to get their money’s worth.
- He explains why arenas often feel better than stadiums: better sound, less distance, and more connection with the crowd.
- He also discusses how opening for others can be useful early in a career, but says he now prefers headlining and building his own audience.
- He says he’s grateful for the opportunities he has, but also conscious of not saying yes to everything forever.
The Voice, acting, and expanding beyond music
- Green reveals he’s working on The Voice and describes how the opportunity came together.
- He says the show wanted someone funny, dry, and easygoing, and that his personality fit the role.
- He also talks about acting, including doing Marshalls with Luke Grimes, and says he enjoyed it but would have liked more time to learn the character and inhabit the role.
- Theo and Riley discuss how artists often need side avenues—TV, film, or other platforms—to grow their reach and longevity.
Hunting, turkeys, and outdoors culture
- The conversation moves into hunting, especially turkey hunting, which Green says is very difficult and requires patience, strategy, and land knowledge.
- He explains how birds behave differently depending on terrain and why hunting them is more complicated than people think.
- Theo and Riley riff on birds, what animals people do and don’t eat, and the weirdness of naming dogs or birds in certain ways.
- They also joke about old-school outdoor culture, country life, and how hunting connects back to tradition.
Bar fights, surprise parties, and Southern chaos
- A lot of the episode’s funniest moments come from stories about bar fights, surprise parties, and small-town weirdness.
- Green says he hates surprise parties and once showed up to Theo’s birthday party, ate cake, and left.
- They joke about what kind of clothing you’d wear if you were going to fight, who looks like they’re ready for a fight, and how certain people seem to go out looking for trouble.
- They also laugh about odd local characters, strange names, and the energy of bars and beach towns in the South.
Notable Takeaways
- Hard work grounds creativity. Green repeatedly emphasizes that farm work helps him stay balanced in a life that is otherwise fast, public, and abstract.
- Authenticity beats reinvention. He believes the best career move is not to chase trends too hard, but to keep evolving while staying true to your core identity.
- Success can feel like management, not victory. Awards and achievements matter, but he often sees them as checkpoints rather than emotional endpoints.
- The world of country music is bigger than music. Touring, TV, acting, social media, and personality all now matter as much as the songs.
- Theo and Riley have strong chemistry. Their shared Southern sensibility and love of jokes about rural life, labor, and absurdity carry the episode.
Upcoming Projects Mentioned
Riley Green
- New album: That’s Just Me
- Release date: September 18
- Current tour: Cowboy As It Gets Tour
- Current TV role: Working on The Voice
- Recent songs discussed:
- “Go Again”
- “Think I’m in Love”
- “My Way”
Tone and Style of the Episode
- Very conversational and unstructured
- Heavy on Southern humor and improvisation
- Frequent callbacks to farming, hunting, bars, and working-class life
- A mix of sincere reflection and absurd riffing
Bottom Line
This episode is a fun and revealing hangout with Riley Green, showing both the humor and groundedness behind his public image. If you want to understand where his music and personality come from, the big themes are simple: family, hard work, authenticity, and a deep connection to rural Alabama life.