After an explosive arrival and a series of grassroots hits, River House Artists talent Hudson Westbrook is now taking his place among a new generation of country singer-songwriters. Born and raised in Texas (but carrying its spirit far beyond the state line), the songwriting savant boasts a time-honored sound and a deep connection to his fans – because not long ago, he was one of them. 

Self-taught and proudly rough-around-the-edges, Westbrook burst onto the scene with the unexpected hit “Take It Slow” in April of 2024, making his splash debut while still enrolled at Texas Tech. He’s now pushing ahead, revitalizing the organic country-rock of the Red Dirt revolution and speaking for a brand-new era. But with an anything-goes creative instinct, unburdened by unwritten rules, this riser won’t be held down by his roots. 

“I’m definitely from Texas. And I love Texas,” Westbrook says. “But that doesn’t say everything about me.” 

Hailing from the small town of Stephenville, Westbrook’s rise begins in humble style, with the future hitmaker singing in church and streaming a typical modern mix, from George Strait to gangsta rap and everything between. He felt especially drawn to Texan artists like Wade Bowen, Randy Rogers, Koe Wetzel, and Parker McCollum – but with a fierce work ethic and an FFA membership, his free time was spent on the clock, not on the stage. 

Decidedly blue-collar in approach, Westbrook was a multi-sport athlete and high school football state champion. His work experience was just as physical, including barbed-wire fence building, filling orders at a feed store, training bird dogs, and even halter-breaking bulls. All through his teenage years, he’d jot down lyrical notes in his phone – but then 2020 arrived, and combined with a move to Midland, the regular rhythm of life came to a halt. Shut indoors and without any local friends, Westbrook turned to the guitar. ... It was better than video games, he figured.  

Entering Texas Tech in 2023, things changed forever that winter when Westbrook wrote his first song. After “four or five” more, which “weren’t terrible,” he was at work one day washing cattle in Anton, Texas when he started humming the melody to “Take It Slow” – soon to be his hit debut. 

Featuring an edgy vocal charm and the warm country-rock buzz of some gravel-road “grigio,” Westbrook recorded the laid-back tribute to romantic relaxation for $400 and released it to streaming services with no real plan (not even a cover photo). To his surprise, it quickly found traction. Launching out of Lubbock’s storied indie-country scene, which has already boosted the careers of Texas greats like Cody Johnson, Flatland Cavalry, and more, the swaying, solo-written anthem has now been streamed more than 10 million times, as Westbrook claims a place in the modern music landscape. 

“It really all happened by accident,” Westbrook says. “I went to college to learn commercial real estate and wasn’t planning to do music. But I think the best things happen on accident.” 

Since then, the breakout star has been moving at warp speed. A few months later, he followed up with “Two Way Drive” – another solo-written anthem with a winding hill-country melody – and after forming a band with a few friends of friends, performed his first major concert for 1,800 fans at the much-loved Lubbock destination Cook’s Garage … a sold-out show with the feel of a stadium debut. His music-industry immersion has continued with Nashville co-writing and non-stop travel to meet concert demand, helping the still-young artist understand his creative “lane” – and inspiring plans to build it into a superhighway, running coast to coast and everywhere between.  

Tracks like the propulsive “5 to 9” help showcase the young star’s song-crafting growth on top of his innate skill. Flipping the old “9 to 5” theme on its head, the fiddle-led standout captures a working man’s daydream with a loping, modern-traditional sound, trading hourly pay for some much-needed overtime waiting at home.   

“Everyone’s working a day job, getting their money every single day to provide for whoever they love,” Westbrook says. “And then they get off and they’re only truly living during the evening. I relate to that. I’ve worked throughout my life and I’m still working – even if it doesn’t seem like it.” 

Other new tracks such as the narrative stunner “Johnny Walker” reveal Westbrook’s heading – the grooving tribute to growth and moving on is also a cover of fellow Texas lane-maker Jacob Stelly – and more new music is on the way, as Westbrook continues to build confidence. He’ll join honky-tonk hitmakers Midland on tour in late 2024 and remains on the road throughout Texas and beyond, working hard to build a long-lasting career from bolt-of-lightning success.  

“Four months ago, I was a normal college kid, and now I’m on tour,” he says. “The best part is going out and watching people singing your lyrics back. I wrote it in an empty room on a random piece of paper, and now people are screaming at the top of their lungs.” 

Looking ahead, the rising star will keep his head on straight and keep trying to grow. He’ll follow his instincts, build on his roots, and break new trails, taking his unique brand of country as far as it will go. 

“I want to win over Texas, win over the surrounding states, and then hopefully build it from there,” Westbrook says. “I want to take this all the way to the top. If I wasn’t doing it to do that, I’d be doing it for the wrong reason.”