With his eclectic recordings encompassing country, gospel and folk through six records of evocative roots music, Brent Cobb decided it was high time to pick up the electric guitar. The Ellaville, Georgia, singer-songwriter is releasing Ain’t Rocked in a While, his seventh record, this summer — and the punchy title understates his intent. It’s also the first record accompanied by The Fixin’s, his touring band.
From No Place Left to Leave, his 2006 debut, to Southern Star, his most recent release in 2023, Cobb has consistently spun a laid-back, folksy style of country music not often heard on Nashville radio. Cobb’s warm burr of a Georgian drawl, modest demeanor and relaxed, intimate style render his music with a charming authenticity. He has written songs on Music Row for artists like Kenny Chesney and Luke Bryan, but his own brand remains a bit funkier, a bit rawer than many of his commercial brethren.
Cobb and The Fixin’s bust the fuzz guitar box out of the garage on Ain’t Rocked in a While, and thunder riffs roll with crunchy abandon. Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys did not produce this hot wax slab, but it’s not far from that greased wheelhouse of blues-rock and raunch. Cobb blends these electric rockers with his acoustic storytelling to fuel his live shows.
Like many generations, Cobb grew up listening to classic rock, such as Black Sabbath and Lynyrd Skynyrd. The Allman Brothers made Macon, Georgia, their home, just over an hour southwest from Ellaville. Cobb recently explained his influences to Loudwire: “My mom’s from Cleveland, Ohio, so she was more Beatles and more Led Zeppelin. . . It’s just always been a part of my DNA, both sides of it. I just hear good songs. For me, there’s good stuff and there’s shitty stuff.” Hard to argue with that Southern-fried biscuit of wisdom.
Brent Cobb plays the Southgate House Revival on June 5 with Chloe Kimes as the opener. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m. More info: southgatehouse.com.
This story is featured in CityBeat’s May 28 print edition.
This article appears in May 28 – Jun 10, 2025.