Miranda Lambert's blunt advice that changed everything for Parker McCollum's career

25 Mar 2026 By foxnews

Miranda Lambert helped Parker McCollum find his footing in the country music business by embracing one simple word.

McCollum, who just sold out his fourth consecutive Houston Rodeo performance, credited Lambert with teaching him to set boundaries to protect his sanity.

"It took me a long time to fall in love with the word no," McCollum said during an appearance on the "Ten Year Town Podcast." "Um, shout out Miranda Lambert. She was the one who really taught me a lot about that."

"I think she loves that word," he added. "That's her favorite word in the business, I think. And it's mine, too."

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McCollum admitted starting out in country music requires a relentless drive.

"As a young artist, you're so hungry, and you want to go, go, go, go, go. And that's really the only way to make it happen in this business is to do it that way - is to just grind, and you got to want it," he explained.

"I think everybody probably has a day at some point where you just kind of had enough," McCollum added.

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The "Pretty Heart" singer explained a short break from the spotlight helped him find balance and stay grounded so he could continue doing what he loved - creating music.

"And you're like, 'Hey, I need to not do the thing. Just do something else for a small amount of time. Two weeks, give me 14 days to completely forget that I even am a part of this thing and that I exist in this world,'" he said. "At that point you kind of find a balance, you know, and you still have that work ethic, and you still have that desire to write and create and tour and perform and do the deal. You just, you get better at getting better at it."

"I probably sound like I know 100% what I'm talking about, but I still feel like I don't."

McCollum released his first single, "Highway," in 2013. The musician gained recognition on the Texas country scene after the release of his debut album "The Limestone Kid."

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He landed his first number one hit with "Pretty Heart" in 2019 after signing with MCA Nashville.

McCollum solidified his mainstream success with the release of his 2021 album, "Gold Chain Cowboy."

McCollum's accomplishments have done little to change his mindset as he continues to approach his career with the same drive that fueled his early years.

"I say all the time, 'I'm still trying to make it,'" he recently told People ahead of the release of his fifth studio album. "I think that will always be the mentality."