Parker McCollum Wrote ‘Hell of a Year’ in the Drive-Thru of a Whataburger
One of the hottest young artists in the country music industry is Parker McCollum. A hardworking performer who has been consistently writing and releasing music since 2013, McCollum’s songs incorporate elements of blues, rock, soul, and, of course, classic country.
Like many artists, McCollum takes inspiration from unlikely sources—and as he revealed in a recent interview with country music influencer and talk show host Bobby Bones, he wrote one of his best-known songs while in the drive-thru at the fast-food chain Whataburger.
Parker McCollum is well known for songs like ‘Pretty Heart’ and ‘Hell of a Year’
McCollum has been working on a career in country music for close to a decade. Born in 1992, he released his debut album in 2013, earning acclaim from critics and country music fans of all ages.
Two years later, McCollum embarked on his first statewide tour of his home state of Texas. In the years since, McCollum has released two more albums, Probably Wrong, which he released in 2017, and Gold Chain Cowboy in 2021.
McCollum’s songs have resonated with fans—with tunes like “Pretty Heart,” “Like a Cowboy,” “Hell of a Year,” and “Meet You in the Middle,” achieving prominence on the country music charts. In particular, his song “Hell of a Year” has become an anthem for his fanbase after it was featured on his 2017 album Probably Wrong.
What did Parker McCollum say about writing ‘Hell of a Year’ in the Whataburger drive-thru?
McCollum has shared a few interesting details about his songwriting process, revealing in a May 2021 tweet that his song “Hell of a Year” was written while he was sitting at a Whataburger drive-thru. In response to a tweet from the fast-food chain, McCollum shared on Twitter: “I wrote hell of a year in the drive thru at 2 o’clock in the morning at the one off William cannon and 35 in Austin, TX and yes that is a true story.”
McCollum later opened up about this in a June 2021 interview with talk show host Bobby Bones. “Well, I didn’t write the whole song there,” McCollum clarified, when Bones asked him about it. “I was in the middle of writing it (songs for the album) and had gone to eat real late at night. I wrote, I think, the chorus of and the first verse (of “Hell of a Year”) in the drive-thru. The next morning I woke up, and it was in my phone and I finished it.”
What’s next for Parker McCollum?
For McCollum, the best is yet to come—and with plenty of opportunities to earn new fans in the coming months, people will likely be hearing his songs on the radio for a long time. Most notably, McCollum is set to tour with country music superstar Thomas Rhett, with the tour set to kick off in June.
As McCollum told Country Countdown USA, he’s also in the final stages of planning a wedding and will be tying the knot with his fiancé, Hallie Ray Light, in the late spring. “We’re getting married in about five weeks. So it’s coming up quick!” McCollum said.
Additionally, he’ll be playing a highly-publicized stadium show with Eric Church—a longtime idol of the young artist. McCollum detailed how being able to perform alongside some of his favorite singers is a “pinch-me moment,” noting that he’s appreciative of all the opportunities that have been coming his way.
