When beloved Grammy-winning songwriter Brett James died in a plane crash last Sept. 18, the Nashville music community mourned the loss of a great songwriter — James penned such tunes as “Jesus, Take the Wheel,” “When the Sun Goes Down” and “Blessed” — but for singer-songwriter Kip Moore, the loss was especially acute.
“I don’t know if there’s been anyone in my adult life that made a more profound impact on me,” Moore says of James. “Brett and I were thick as thieves for probably the first four years that I was with [James’ publishing company] Cornman. There was a period of two years where I don’t think we went a day without hanging out, just writing songs and riding motorcycles. What I carry with me the most when I think about Brett is Brett got me to believe in myself when I didn’t.”
James died as Moore was recording Reason To Believe, his new album released Friday (May 29) through his global partnership with Virgin Music Group. Following his death, the album took on a new purpose and urgency for Moore as the 13 songs, all of them co-penned by Moore, look at faith, love, grief and the passage of time.
Moore came out of the gate 15 years ago with his debut country album, Up All Night, which included the Billboard Country Airplay No. 1, “Somethin’ Bout a Truck,” and Top 3 hits “Beer Money” and “Hey Pretty Girl.”
A few more radio hits followed with MCA Nashville, but Moore’s gritty rock style and raspy vocals didn’t necessarily fit in with country’s pop-leaning sound. In 2025, he released his first project, Solitary Tracks, on his own imprint, Slowheart, through Virgin. With Reason to Believe, the songs remain rock based but bring in intriguing sonics and tempos.
As he’s struck out on his own, Moore has felt freed of any of the mainly self-imposed constraints he previously felt in the major label system. “There’s a complete unbridled nature to what I’m doing now,” he says. “I’m writing whatever I feel.”
While Moore’s popularity has never waned in the States, it’s exploded internationally, especially in South Africa, where he’ll headline an Oct. 17 concert at Pretoria’s SuperSport Park Stadium before two shows at Cape Town’s GrandWest Arena Oct. 23-24.
South Africa has become a second home for Moore, where he’s invested in giving back. He says that recently, that means building safe houses in South Africa. “We just finished a huge house over there that’ll hold 100 kids.”
Moore largely eschews social media and has little appetite for participating in the current political discourse, instead letting such actions speak for him. “I know how much I care about humanity and I get involved,” he says. “I refuse to join the shouting match, so I’ll let people do the shouting and I’m just navigating behind the curtain, and that’s just how I choose to go about my life.”
Below, Moore breaks down five essential tracks from Reason to Believe.
