Josh Kerr’s country music is firmly rooted in the earthy, heartstring-tugging realm of modern Nashville. Born in Upstate New York, Kerr brought an outsider’s perspective to Music City and established himself as a dynamic songwriter and producer who pushes country music’s limits. He crafted the pumped-up pop chorus for Kelsea Ballerini’s sweet 2014 love song “Love Me Like You Mean It” and cowrote and coproduced Keith Urban’s 2018 tune “Never Comin Down,” balancing punchy Top 40 rhythms with classic country sounds. After collaborating with his soon-to-be wife, Tae Dye, on tracks like the blistering “Bathroom Floor” by Maddie & Tae, Kerr put out his first album, How Do You Remember Me, in 2019. The debut is rich with catchy hooks buoyed by rootsy arrangements. The driving drums and banjo of “Still Our Town” propels the song’s nostalgic heart; and the understated, sparse ballad “How Do You Know,” a duet with Amy Wadge, is tailor-made to open tear ducts. In late 2020, Kerr pushed his sound into new territory with the staccato twang-pop and synth pulses of “If You Wanted It Too,” a duet with Jake Scott.