Hitting the road. J.R. Carroll is taking advantage of Zach Bryan's break from touring. If you are unfamiliar with J.R. Carroll, you might have seen him alongside his good friend Zach Bryan on stage. While Carroll is a stellar addition to ZB's band, his solo work is also noteworthy. And if you haven't checked that out, there is no better time to fire up his debut record, Dark Cloud. Last week, the Oklahoma native released his debut album, which was a long time coming for his fans. Four and a half years after the release of his first single, the wait finally ended, and boy, was the wait worth it. J.R. Carroll dropped a masterpiece of a record. Before Carroll released the collection of ten songs to his fans, he shared a lengthy thank you letter to everyone who has supported him throughout his journey thus far. While many paragraphs thanked his peers and those who helped make Dark Cloud come to life, the last paragraph thanked his listeners, showing Carroll's gratitude for his fans. "Last, but certainly not least, thank you to everyone who has listened and supported and come out to shows over the past few years. I’ve been blessed enough to not have to rush to follow every trend, or chase every viral moment, and that’s in large part due to every single one of you who was patient enough to stick around while I tried to get better and make something that was worth hearing. I hope very much that y’all enjoy listening to this record as much as my friends and I enjoyed making it for you. Thank you thank you thank you a million times over." https://www.instagram.com/p/DDNrpmIvdyG/ J.R. Carroll is thanking his fans even more, bringing the songs they love from Dark Cloud to the stage. Today, Carroll announced his 2025 headlining tour, the Hometown Hero Tour. Named after the lead single from this project, the Hometown Hero Tour is hitting quite a few towns starting in March of 2025. Touring through May, Carroll's ten-stop tour compliments the ten-track record. While Carroll will be the headlining act each night, he's bringing along Gabriella Rose. Rose has gained viral attention on TikTok for her sensational single "Doublewide." And while there is a very high chance you've heard that track from her, Rose's catalog is filled with gritty twangers inspired by being brought up in the church. https://www.instagram.com/p/DDXRIM-xcn1/ These two are the real deal with the music they are putting out; seeing them both in one night is one helluva bill. If Carroll stops at a city near you, run... don't walk to get tickets. He is just as good live as he is on his studio recordings. While you're here, fire up one of my favorites from Dark Cloud. "Never Knew Your Name" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kJZxPNjuNw Hometown Hero Tour Dates: 3/27/25- The Woodlands, TX - Dosey Doe 3/28/25- Fort Worth, TX- Tulips 3/29/25- Oklahoma City, OK- Beer City Music Hall 4/3/25- St. Louis, MO- Old Rock House 4/4/25- Chicago, IL- Carol's Pub 4/5/25- Indianapolis- IN- HI-FI Indy 4/30/25- Nashville, TN- Exit In 5/1/25- Decatur, GA- Eddie's Attic 5/2/2025- Lexington, KY- The Burl 5/3/25- Knoxville, TN- Open Chord Music