Listen: Dallas Davidson Collaborates With Big Boi, Mannie Fresh, Maggie Rose

Dallas Davidson

Songwriter-publisher Dallas Davidson has penned approximately two dozen No. 1 singles for artists such as Tim McGraw and Jason Aldean, but on Friday (April 22), the singer-songwriter released his own music, with the single “Laid Back.” The song is a collaboration with hip-hop recording artists Mannie Fresh (Cash Money Records) and Big Boi, as well as Davidson’s own Play It Again Music Publishing artist Maggie Rose.

“That’s been knocking around in my brain for a long time,” Davidson tells MusicRow of “Laid Back.””I’ve gotten a bunch of record deal offers over the years, but I chose not to do that. I chose to write songs, and just do my thing. So, if I was going to do something, it had to be something crazy.”

He called Catherine Brewton in BMI’s Atlanta office, who suggested hip-hop producer Mannie Fresh as a collaborator. “I said, ‘I’m gonna be me and be country,'” says Davidson. “Instead of a country record with a rapper on it, we did a hip-hop record with me singing country in a feature. [Mannie] flew in and it was one of the most rewarding, entertaining, creative things I’ve ever done. Mannie is so chill. His beats he plays…words were just flying out of my mouth. Melodies I’ve never used before. Words I’d never said before. He was just so chill to write it. He’s a pro. I hope people like it, I know we are proud of it.”

Mannie Fresh and Big Boi will join Rose and Georgia native Davidson onstage to perform the song live as part of the upcoming third annual Georgia On My Mind Concert, slated for May 10 at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium.

Davidson shared a snippet of the track on social media via a tweet earlier today:

Excited to share #LaidBack feat. the talented @BigBoi @IAmMaggieRose & @manniefresh: https://t.co/D3BsELyZ82 pic.twitter.com/aFhMYTj6Mx

— Dallas Davidson (@DallasDavidson_) April 22, 2016