Not a bad way to spend a Wednesday night!
On the night of June 17, 2026, Josh Ross took the stage at the Mother Church of Country Music as direct support for Nate Smith. The Ryman Auditorium in downtown Nashville was packed with country rock fans alike. This was part of Nate Smith’s Country Rock & Roll 2026 Tour. Ross opened the night with an energy that filled the room. He took what would normally be an opening support slot and turned it into what felt like his own show.
He talked about how, while this wasn’t his first time playing the legendary stage, it was his first time performing there with a full band. Anybody who knows anything about country music knows how sacred the Ryman is and how big of an opportunity it is to perform on that stage.
While Josh, of course, played many of his hits like “Single Again,” “Hate How You Look,” and “Ain’t Doin’ Jack,” he also performed a mashup featuring some of his biggest musical inspirations. He got the crowd singing along with tunes like “Lips of an Angel” by Hinder, “Kryptonite” by 3 Doors Down, and “Higher” by Creed. It was loud, and it was rockin’. Ross told the crowd, “If y’all came here tonight not knowing who I am or what I do, I want you to leave here a fan.” I believe that worked quite well, as the audience erupted in applause and a standing ovation at the end of his set.
During his performance, he ran around the stage and lit up the room with his rock and roll energy and gravelly vocals. While singing about topics like heartbreak and regret, there was a genuine emotion that shined through every song.
Throughout his set, he spoke about his time in Nashville and his road to success. Josh moved to Nashville in 2019 after initially pursuing football and playing at Western University until injuries pushed him toward music. Not long after relocating to Music City, Ross signed a record deal with Universal Music Canada and Mercury Nashville. He has reached many career milestones since then, including gaining over one billion career streams, being named the CCMA’s Entertainer of the Year, and opening shows for some of music’s biggest names, including Luke Bryan, Jelly Roll, and Nickelback.
While not being traditional country and not quite fitting into the pop country lane, Ross has found his voice and his true sound. The uniqueness of his gritty vocals mixed with the energy of rock and roll has helped him take the country rock world by storm. He is a perfect example of how quickly things can happen for an aspiring artist. From making back and forth trips to Nashville in 2018, to relocating to Music City in 2019, to now becoming one of the genre’s top newcomers to watch, Ross has been on quite a roll and is showing no signs of slowing down.
Already having found radio success and having built a strong fan base in both Canada and the United States, it’s safe to say he very well could be coming to a city near you. It’s a show you don’t want to miss!