Austin Michael: Lone Star, Positivity & Texas Grit

In Episode 281 of Outside The Round, host Matt Burrill sits down with Texas native Austin Michael to talk about his upcoming album Lone Star and the years of work that went into bringing it to life. Austin shares how growing up in Texas shaped his identity, from tornado stories and survival skills to rodeo culture and small-town resilience. The two dive into the philosophy and positivity that fuel his songwriting, why authenticity matters more than ever in today’s country landscape, and how songs like “Why Not Whiskey” showcase the fun side of his artistry. Austin also opens up about navigating the independent music scene, the grind of building a career in Nashville, the power of live performances, and the influence of larger-than-life figures like John Daly. It’s a conversation about grit, gratitude, and staying true to who you are while chasing big dreams. Follow on Social Media: Austin Michael: @itsaustinmichael Matt Burrill: @raisedrowdymatt Outside The Round: @outsidetheround Raised Rowdy: @raisedrowdy Chapters (00:00:12) - Lone Star(00:02:13) - Lone Star(00:06:27) - On His Favorite Podcasts(00:07:41) - Tornado scares me in Texas(00:11:04) - What If You Had To Survive in the Wild?(00:13:35) - How Long Have You Been Obsessed With a Hobby?(00:16:50) - Homo sapiens on hunting(00:18:51) - Bradley on His New Music(00:22:27) - FGL on Their Breakup Songs(00:25:47) - "You Need A Team"(00:30:57) - In the Elevator With Your Wife(00:31:08) - Luke Bryan(00:35:25) - Tennessee Slim on FOMO(00:38:55) - Tom Petty on His New Year's Goals(00:41:20) - Austin Michael on His First Tour(00:45:35) - Jason Aldean on His Showmanship(00:49:27) - Jay Leno on(00:53:28) - Ke$ha on Living In The Car(00:56:40) - John Daly on Playing on TikTok Live(01:00:45) - Jason Aldean on Lone Stars(01:05:06) - Austin Michael Lone Star(01:06:33) - "I'm Just a Two-Trick Pony"