Most artists arrive in Nashville with a guitar and a dream. AJ Kross also arrived with a cougar story—and a very good reason to keep an eye on the gas gauge.

Now, 15 years later, the country singer-songwriter is heading into a new chapter with “God Made a Small Town,” an upcoming album, and a tour bus that deserves its own introduction.

AJ joins That Nashville Girl with the stories, humor, and heart that make you want to see someone win. He takes us from growing up on the road with his parents’ gospel duo to Bluebird Cafe open mics and years of Friday and Saturday nights at Ole Red. Those four-hour Broadway sets? They taught him a few things about holding a crowd—and earning the moment he’s stepping into now.

But the conversation’s biggest moment comes when AJ explains what changed after he finally told God, “I’m done.” After years of putting pressure on himself to do more and be better, he handed over the weight of trying to make it all happen. The dream was still there. He just stopped insisting he had to figure out every piece of it himself.

Between a cowboy tattoo his dad did not get nearly excited enough about, a teenage metal-band phase, and the Nevada roadside encounter that almost made this a very different story, AJ brings plenty of reasons to laugh. He also shares a piece of advice about asking God to fill your cup that might make you realize you’ve been holding out a very small one.

And with “God Made a Small Town,” he gives you something to listen to long after this conversation ends. Amanda’s already calling it a future No. 1. Get to know the guy she’s cheering for.

Listen to AJ Kross’s “God Made a Small Town,” and subscribe to the That Nashville Girl newsletter for the link to his performance.

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