The Louisiana Songwriters Behind Blake Shelton's No. 1 Hit "Stay Country or Die Tryin'"
- Louisiana Country Music
- Dec 17, 2025
- 3 min read
Updated: 60 minutes ago
When Blake Shelton released "Stay Country or Die Tryin'", most listeners heard another hard hitting country anthem. What many didn't realize is that two Louisiana musicians helped bring the song to life, each arriving there from a very different path.
Songwriter Beau Bailey and artist-songwriter Graham Barham both earned co-writing credits on the track, bringing Louisiana roots into one of Shelton's biggest recent hits. Since the song's release, it has gone on to become Blake Shelton's 31st career No. 1 at country radio, adding another milestone to the careers of two Louisiana creatives making their mark in Nashville.
While Bailey and Barham are building their careers in different ways, this collaboration shows how Louisiana talent continues shaping today's country music from both the writing room and the stage.
Beau Bailey: A Louisiana Writer Hitting His Stride
Beau Bailey’s name has been circulating more frequently in Nashville songwriting circles, and this past year made it clear that the momentum is building.
He recently broke into the MusicRow Top 15 on the Top Songwriter Chart, a milestone tied to a growing list of cuts across today’s country landscape. Beau is signed as a songwriter with Ashley Gorley’s Tape Room Music in partnership with Red Light Management, a publishing and development team known for fostering writers in Nashville.
According to MusicRow, his chart presence includes:
HARDY – “Favorite Country Song”
Blake Shelton – “Stay Country or Die Tryin’”
George Birge – “Cowboy Songs”
Ashley Cooke – “Painted You Pretty”
Pillbox Patti – “Sober”
That momentum has only continued. With "Stay Country or Die Tryin'" reaching No. 1 at country radio, Bailey now adds another chart topping hit to a growing catalog of cuts from some of country music's biggest names. It's another reminder that Louisiana songwriters aren't just part of Nashville's creative community. They're helping drive it.
Graham Barham: An Artist Letting His Voice Travel Further
Graham Barham’s career has been built as an artist first. Raised in rural Louisiana, he moved to Nashville with a foundation in songwriting, but his recent visibility has come through his own releases and growing audience.
While Graham Barham first built his reputation as an artist, his songwriting continues opening new doors. Songs like "Oil Money" introduced him to a wider audience, while his recent releases have continued establishing him as one of country's emerging voices.
His co-writing credit on "Stay Country or Die Tryin'" shows another side of his career. It's proof that Barham isn't only building momentum as a recording artist, but also earning opportunities in some of Nashville's most important songwriting rooms alongside established writers and major artists.
How Two Different Careers Came Together
Nashville's songwriting community is built on collaboration, and "Stay Country or Die Tryin'" is a great example of that process. One writer may bring the hook, another the melody, another the perspective that makes the entire song click.
For Beau Bailey and Graham Barham, this collaboration represents more than one writing session. It reflects years of building relationships, developing their craft, and earning trust inside Nashville's songwriting community. Different careers led them into the same room, where they helped create a song that would eventually become another No. 1 for Blake Shelton.
Final Take
Every No. 1 song has a story that starts long before it reaches radio.
For Beau Bailey and Graham Barham, "Stay Country or Die Tryin'" represents years of writing, performing, and investing in their craft. Today, that work stands behind Blake Shelton's 31st career No. 1, another reminder that Louisiana continues producing artists and songwriters who help shape country music at its highest level.
At Louisiana Country Music, we're proud to celebrate those stories and the people carrying Louisiana's influence from hometown stages to Nashville's biggest hits.
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