Kane Brown’s career almost looked a lot different – and so did Restless Road.
Brown and Restless Road recently told The Ty Bentli Show that Brown nearly joined the group after meeting on “The X-Factor” almost a decade ago.
“I met them in 2013,” Brown explained. “I was supposed to be in the group. It didn’t work out, thank God. I got them on my label now, but they’ve been together for nine years. Nobody really gave them a chance. They signed with a couple of people and never got to do a show, never got to put out an album. They’re so talented. They’re funny to be around. They’re three genuine good guys, and I just felt like they needed a chance.”
The men connected after Brown and Restless Road singer Zach Beeken both auditioned for “The X-Factor” with Chris Young’s “Gettin’ You Home.” The singers thought the show would pit them against each other. Instead, the men were instructed to form a band together.
Brown said no.
“I remember talking to Kane and being like, ’What did you sing for your audition?’ He was like, ’I sang Gettin’ You Home by Chris Young.’ I was like, ’Well, that’s what I sang for my audition.’ We all started to think, Wow, they’re pitting us against one another. They’re going to pick the best country singer out of all of us. Then turns out they actually had a different plan in mind. They thought it’d be great if we formed a band. Kane wanted to go his own direction and be a solo artist.”
Restless Road member Colton Pack stayed in touch with Brown over the years, and the relationship led to Restless Road getting back together and moving to Nashville – at Brown’s insistence.
“Kane hit me up in 2019,” Pack said. “I wasn’t even in the group [anymore], and I hadn’t talked to Kane in a couple of years, probably at that point in time. He said, ’Hey man, I’m starting a label, and I’m looking for somebody to go out on tour with and was thinking of you guys.’ That made me come to Nashville, and Zach and Garret were both working regular jobs. I talked to them, and we were like, ’Let’s give it a shot.’”
It’s safe to say that the gamble paid off – for Brown and Restless Road.
Brown is the leading nominee at the 2022 CMT Music Awards that will air live from Nashville (8 p.m. -11 p.m. (ET) on April 11 on CBS.