Lanie Gardner is gearing up for her debut at Stagecoach this weekend, and she’s as thrilled to play the festival as she is to see some of her favorite artists.
Before the three-day event kicked off on Friday, April 25, Gardner exclusively told Us Weekly it feels “unreal” to be appearing on the same stage as musicians like Lana Del Rey, Midland and Sturgill Simpson.
“I’m so excited,” she added. “I’ve gotten to knock a lot of iconic festivals off my bucket list so far — CMA Fest, Tortuga and now Stagecoach.”
Fans who catch her in Indio, California, during her set on Saturday, April 26, will get a special treat: the live debut of her new single, “Concrete Cowboy,” which dropped on Friday. “It’s gonna be a good time,” she teased.
The song is a yearning ode to a “concrete cowboy,” which Gardner explains is “a city boy posing as a country boy” — and a heartbreaker. “Some of those guys can be rather clever when going after country girls and then really find no problem playing with the hearts of good women,” she added. “To me, you have to have a heart of stone — or concrete — to do that.”
Ahead of her Stagecoach debut, we asked Gardner to Make Us a Mixtape of some of her favorite songs. “I chose these six songs because each one holds a unique, happy memory,” she explained. “More than anything, they remind me of when I first connected deeply with music — not just as a listener, but as a creator. These songs helped me discover the power of lyrics, melody and vibration, and how, as humans, we all connect through music. They sparked the desire to find and share my own voice through it.”
Keep reading to see some of the tracks that have left a lasting impact on her life:
Song That Reminds Her of Childhood
“Springsteen” by Eric Church. It encapsulates North Carolina, young love and music. Those were my teenage years. He mentions the power that music has to hold a memory, and it’s my favorite line in the song.
Song That Reminds Her of Summer
“Tip It on Back” by Dierks Bentley. It just gets me riled up for the summer. I can literally picture a golden sunset on the lake, by the river or around a bonfire when the world starts to slow down. Nothin’ to do but let loose and soak it all in.
Lanie Gardner Jason Kempin/Getty Images
Song That Reminds Her of Her First Crush
“Bring Me Down” by Miranda Lambert. Unfortunately, I didn’t have much luck in the area of love — even from the beginning. “Bring Me Down” reminds me of my first crush because it was the first time someone had that kind of hold on me. Some people can so easily hurt others without even thinking twice. That line “so you can look me in the eye and break my heart” spoke volumes to me — even as an adult now.
Song to Get Everyone Dancing
“Golden” by Jill Scott. “Golden” makes people dance because it feels like freedom — the freedom to be joyful, which I think naturally causes people to dance. The groove pulls you in, the lyrics lift you up and the soul and funk in Jill’s voice makes you come back to it. It’s one of those songs that hits your spirit first and then your feet can’t help but follow.
Song That Reminds Her of Her Favorite Place
“Cheeseburger in Paradise” by Jimmy Buffett. This song reminds me of Myrtle Beach as a kid. That was our normal vacation spot — so much so, it became a second home for us. It was a tradition to go to the Margaritaville restaurant every year when we went down for our birthdays. We don’t go there anymore, but old North Carolina beach towns still have that same aura about them. It’s my favorite place to be, even after traveling the world. It reminds me of home, my family and beautiful memories — a peaceful time all together again.
Song She Wishes She Wrote
“No Good” by Kaleo. It’s gritty, raw and powerful. The guitar riff slaps. It immediately boosts your confidence or overall hype for whatever is coming your way. It captures that primal and bluesy energy I love, but it’s also got this haunting honesty in the delivery. It’s chaotic and genius. I want to be able to influence that kinda power in my own songwriting.
“Concrete Cowboy” is out now.
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