Thursday night I wasn’t home, lying in bed trying to sleep. I was out in Boston, Massachusetts, attending ERNEST’s “Live From The South” tour stop at the House of Blues in Boston. Everyone that was there made the wise choice to be there instead of in bed watching television. There is not one artist or musical persona that I respect more than him. He came out and delivered. Signed, sealed, and delivered. The show was pure perfection. There is no doubt in my mind that if you are into country music, an ERNEST concert is on your radar. You may not be too familiar with his songs that he chooses to put out on his own projects, but you damn sure know songs that he has helped write. That’s why this man deserves all the respect and attention he receives. I love seeing him out here on his own tour getting his own flowers.
The House of Blues in Boston is a beautiful venue situated right in the heart of the Fenway neighborhood and right across the street from iconic Fenway Park on Lansdowne St. Mostly standing room only, except for the third floor that has some stadium seating. This venue holds about 2,500 people, so you get the intimate feel despite it getting pretty packed in there. I have seen many shows here, and I just love the vibe this place sets off. Tonight the crowd was near capacity, and it had me smiling ear to ear. Like I said, ERNEST deserves everything that is coming his way. He has put in years of work, and it’s now his time to shine.
Opening the night is no slouch either. Chandler Walters. Again, a name that many may not have heard of, but you have heard his songs. Walters, hailing from Marietta, Georgia, got his start in Nashville by joining ERNEST’s band… Four years later, he is on tour with his former boss. I also learned last year at a Post Malone show that Walters was Post’s steel guitar player. Coincidentally, Walters was the opener for Post’s "Big Ass Stadium Tour.” Walters has also written songs off Post Malone’s country album F-1 Trillion, including the legendary song “I Had Some Help,” which ERNEST also co-wrote. This was the second time seeing Walters, and he didn’t disappoint. He never does. He is an awesome guitar player and an even better singer. He has that old-time voice in him, and I absolutely love it. It’s a breath of fresh air in this genre.
I think this choice as an opener was perfectly calculated. The crowd was hyped up by the time Walters left the stage. He didn’t just leave the stage either. He jumped down into the barricade and immediately headed for the merch table to take pictures with fans. I love when artists do that. The man did his job. He smiled throughout the night, letting those dimples show for all his enduring fans. What a great set we were blessed with. I really hope he continues to rise in popularity. He, along with ERNEST, deserves all the accolades they will get in the future. Walters could very well be the next Zach Top.
ERNEST. The man himself originates from the home of country music, Nashville, Tennessee. It’s in his DNA already. It must have been in the water in his baby milk while growing up. He was delivered a gift. That gift was not only to sing and perform country music but also to continuously write hit after hit for other artists. ERNEST really started making a name for himself when he linked up with a household name, Morgan Wallen. ERNEST helped write a bunch of Wallen’s biggest songs. If you’ve heard modern country music on the radio, there’s a solid chance ERNEST had a hand in it. He’s basically one of those behind-the-scenes MVPs who quietly has made a name for themselves with the genre’s biggest stars. Around 2019, ERNEST started to carve his own path and make a name for himself. He started releasing his own music. His sound is more of a traditional country sound compared to the songs he writes for other artists. You can hear some hip-hop influences in his music, which perfectly mesh with Post Malone, and you can see why he has written for Post Malone on many tracks that helped shape Post Malone’s latest country album.
In 2022, he dropped his debut album Flower Shops (The Album), which had the song Flower Shops featuring Morgan Wallen. That track blew up and pretty much put him on the map as a legit artist, not just a songwriter. ERNEST is the guy in a group project who secretly did most of the work… and then finally decided to present his own project and crushed that too. ERNEST IS country music of this decade. He has arguably shaped the way Nashville sounds in 2026.
The main event was here. It was time for the living legend in the making, ERNEST. I was so ready for this, and the crowd may or may not have been ready. I knew what I was in for. This was my third time seeing ERNEST perform. I saw him last month at the Grand Ole Opry, and he was simply spectacular. I had high hopes for his own headline show. No spoiler alert here. My hopes were right. He was perfection. A southern, soothing voice singing to us about southern ways. I was lost in the music, and it had me thinking I was walking out on Broadway St in Nashville instead of Lansdowne St in Boston after the show. That was the most disappointment I would feel all night. All night, song after song, he simply nailed it. There is always room for improvement and error during a live show, but this just didn’t have it. It was perfection.
The stage setup was simple and not distracting from the music at all. ERNEST had a large American flag draped as a backdrop for the whole set. ERNEST always talks about his love for the country, even covering Toby Keith’s Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue. When there isn’t fire, fireworks, and fog, you know the focus is all about the music. Some entertainers do not need all the theatrics that come with a large production. Not taking away from those either. Those are super fun and have their place. ERNEST just needed his band, his guitar, and his soulful voice.
The man can sing, play, and entertain. His personality shines through his lyrics and the moments he was just talking to the crowd between songs. ERNEST comes off as a genuine human that cares about people and cares about country music. You can see and hear the respect he has for country music and its preservation, despite modernizing it while using his pen for writing for other artists. The band backing ERNEST was just as phenomenal. Everyone was in sync and hitting all their cues the whole show. I mean it when I say that this concert was everything you want a country music show to be. Hearing the crowd sing the national anthem to the fiddle was not on my bingo card for this show, but it was a highlight. It was a patriotic night with great tunes with some awesome musicians. As expected, ERNEST played some of the songs he has written for Morgan and Posty. The crowd erupted when “I Had Some Help” started to play. It was a sing-along fest. ERNEST was no slouch with the setlist either, delivering about 27 songs. 27 Songs of pure greatness. I really can’t express how much conviction and passion he sings with. It’s almost too easy for him.
The crowd I wasn’t sure about coming into the show. I thought for sure that it would be an older crowd. I was rather wrong. There were plenty of young, hip, college-aged concertgoers. That always gives me hope for country music. It’s not all about the pop-country anymore. Names like Zach Top and Ella Langley are making those deep country accents in country music become more popular. Maybe Morgan Wallen’s songs rubbed off on the younger generation, and they are starting to branch off from modern country and bro-country. Everyone in that building showed their loyalty to ERNEST, singing their hearts out all night. Nothing beats a good country music sing-along at a show. While I was roaming around, I overheard a few people that had a bit much to drink sing ERNEST’s praise and how they were having the time of their lives. Now that’s a great Thursday night in the heart of Boston.
There is no doubt I wanted to be right where I was on a Thursday night. This beats being home in bed watching Netflix, it beats going out to the bars getting trashed, and it beats just about anything else you could be doing at any given time. Go see ERNEST. If you really love country music, then you really can’t even go wrong. Spoiler alert… He plays some songs he has written for Morgan Wallen. See, now you can go and say you heard a Wallen song played live by the actual writer. So if you have plans already when ERNEST comes to your city, cancel them or, better yet, change plans and bring your friends to the show instead. It’s a great night out, with even greater music, and it’s best shared with friends or loved ones. Whatever you do or whoever you’re with BUY. THE. TICKET.
