Parker McCollum is officially serving — and we’re not just talking about the music.
The ACM and CMT award-winning country star put on his best Cane’s uniform and clocked in for a special “shift” at Raising Cane’s in Austin last Thursday (June 12), celebrating not only 20 years of Cane’s in Texas but also gearing up for the release of his highly-anticipated self-titled fifth studio album, PARKER MCCOLLUM, dropping June 27. And yes — fans got their chicken fingers and a first listen to some exclusive unreleased tracks. That’s what we call a Texas-sized combo.
For Parker, this wasn’t just another brand partnership — it was practically destiny. The “Gold Chain Cowboy” has been a diehard Cane’s fan since his high school days in Texas. “I’ve been eating Cane’s since I was a freshman in high school,” Parker told press — including Celeb Secrets — ahead of his shift. “We’d ride our bikes there before we could drive and get Box Combos — no slaw, extra toast, and extra sauce.”
Fast forward to today, and Parker’s now the face of Cane’s latest Texas campaign, with his album being promoted across more than 200 Cane’s locations statewide. “It’s really special,” he smiled. “I don’t take it for granted getting to align my career with something that has the reputation that Cane’s has.”
The collab goes deep. Parker even worked his very first Cane’s shift back in 2023 in Conroe, TX, and now he’s upgraded to manning the Austin drive-thru, serving fans their Box Combos while serving up plenty of charm. “They only let me come do it when I’m very, very closely supervised,” he laughed. “It’s very apparent I’ve never done it before — but it’s so much fun.”
In true Celeb Secrets fashion, we got the inside scoop from Parker during his exclusive VIP listening party held right inside the restaurant, where a select group of fans were treated to three unreleased tracks from PARKER MCCOLLUM before anyone else.
“It was really cool to get to see everyone react to the new songs live,” Parker shared. “This is the first record I’ve ever made where I’m like, ‘I don’t care if anyone likes it, because I love it so much.’”
And yes, Celeb Secrets’ Jozie even had a sweet moment with Parker during the listening event (yes girl, we saw that smile).
PARKER MCCOLLUM isn’t just another record — it’s the one Parker’s been waiting his whole career to make.
Recorded over an intense seven-day stretch in New York City, Parker admitted the process was grueling at times — full of doubt, late-night phone calls to his dad and Randy Rogers, and moments where he seriously questioned if he was on the right track.
“Every night I’d leave the studio, go back to my hotel and call my dad like, ‘What have I done? This might be career suicide,’” he admitted to Celeb Secrets. “I was just so worried I was missing the mark. But on that last day, we listened to everything top to bottom and I just thought, ‘Bullseye.’ That was the moment I knew we had it.”
In his own words, this album is “raw, honest, and 1,000% Parker.” And while every artist says this one is their best yet — for Parker, there’s no debate. “It’s the best thing I’ve ever done,” he said confidently.
When we asked what he needed to prove to himself with this album, Parker didn’t hesitate:
“I had to prove that the buzz is still attainable. I hadn’t felt it in a while. I feel like I’ve been looking for it really hard and as soon as I quit looking for it, I feel like I found it again, which is crazy,” he revealed. “The longer you go in your career, you wonder: Is it still there? Do I still love this? And after making this record — yeah, it’s still there.”
And while he’s collaborating with some big names on this album (including Cody Johnson), Parker’s got his sights set even higher. “Taylor Swift. I would do that right now,” he said with a grin.
Of course, Celeb Secrets had to get the scoop on one of the more attention-grabbing songs on the tracklist: “Solid Country Gold.” Was there ever a moment where he second-guessed including certain lyrics?
“No, ma’am,” Parker said with a grin. “I know the line you’re talking about — the second half of that first verse — but no. That’s just me trying to write good songs. Still trying to write good songs, no matter what.”
Leave it to Parker to stay fully committed to his authentic storytelling — even if it means a few eyebrow-raising lines that might make some listeners do a double-take.
Beyond the music, Parker’s also adjusting to life as a new dad — and it’s been a wild ride. “The first six months I was like, I don’t know about this. But now? It’s the greatest thing ever,” he gushed. His son’s first word? “Dada” — sorry Hallie!
With the arrival of his first child, Parker also revealed to Celeb Secrets what he hopes his son one day takes away from the album made during this huge season of life.
“I was thinking a lot about what kind of dad he was going to grow up with — whether I was going to be cool or not,” he laughed. “But I hope he falls in love with the kind of music I did when I was a kid — talented, raw songwriters. And hopefully, some of my records will end up being on his list of favorites one day.”
And if his son has his dad’s taste in music, Parker thinks he’ll be in good shape: “If he’s like his mom, he won’t have great taste in music. If he’s like his dad — he’ll have pretty good taste in music,” Parker joked.
With PARKER MCCOLLUM dropping June 27, a massive summer tour (including dates with George Strait and Chris Stapleton), and his Lucchese boot line expanding, Parker’s 2025 is stacked. But through it all, he remains grounded — just like when he was that high school kid biking to Cane’s.
“Sometimes the stars align,” Parker reflected. “It’s just so organic — nothing’s forced. Todd Graves [Cane’s founder] and I both believe in taking care of people, and that’s what makes this so special.”
From the drive-thru window to center stage, Parker McCollum is living proof that hard work, great music, and (of course) a love for Cane’s Sauce can take you pretty far.
For more on Parker McCollum’s new album and partnership with Raising Cane’s, watch our full interview below — and don’t forget to let us know what you think of his new music by either leaving a reaction at the bottom of the post or by sliding into our DMs on Instagram at @celebsecretscountry.
