Today, rising star and Nashville based, Max McNown releases “St Helens Alpenglow.” (listen above)
At just 23, Max’s musical path has already been filled with remarkable twists. Fueled by a deep sense of purpose and the strength he drew from his brother’s courageous battle with cancer, Max made the bold decision to leave his small hometown in Oregon and head for Southern California. There, he began sharing his voice the old-fashioned way—busking on piers—where raw, unfiltered performances started gaining traction online.
His heartfelt videos struck a chord, especially on TikTok, where he’s now built a devoted following of over 2 million fans. Along the way, he caught the attention of major television talent shows. Though he auditioned for one, Max ultimately chose not to pursue that route, recognizing that his journey needed to unfold on his own terms. With authenticity as his guide, he’s continued carving out a path that’s uniquely his.
McNown had this to say about the new single, “For better or for worse, every relationship we’ve ever experienced has shaped us into the person we are today. The song ‘St. Helens Alpenglow’ serves as a reminder that just because a past love didn’t make it to the finish line, it doesn’t mean it was all for nothing. There are pieces of one another that we carry far beyond the “end” of our romances. The “Alpenglow” represents those fragments of broken relationships, memories you look back on fondly and will always be grateful for.”
His accolades include being named a 2025 Amazon Music Artist to Watch and Billboard’s Country Rookie of the Month for November of last year following his feature as CMT’s Next Up Now artist alongside the release of Willfully Blind. The EP landed as the Oregon-born artist made his AmericanaFest debut, and as we saw another major resurgence of his breakout hit single “A Lot More Free.” Since the single’s release it has recently achieved RIAA Gold certification, earned Max a top spot as #1 on Billboard’s Emerging Artists chart, peaked at #1 on the iTunes singles chart and #1 on the TikTok Breakthrough USA chart, climbed the Canadian Hot 100 chart, and was placed on Spotify’s Hot Country and Viral 50 global playlists.
McNown has opened for stars like Wynonna Judd, Wyatt Flores, Michael Marcagi, Sam Barber, 502s, Corey Kent, Trampled by Turtles, JOSEPH, and more. Look for him on Friday, June 6th at CMA Fest, Riverfront. This is a show you don’t want to miss.
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