Very few performers have the stamina to outwork Randall King. By spending one-third of 2024 performing in front of packed audiences across the United States, the neo-traditional country music artist has been steadily grinding his way into becoming one of music’s fastest-rising singers.
The Lone Star State native’s star continues to grow brighter. His album, Into the Neon, was named one of 2024’s top country albums. King has garnered nearly 400 million streams with hits like “You in a Honky Tonk,” “Hey Cowgirl,” and “Mirror, Mirror.”
Just this month, King released a new album, Neon (Unplugged), an acoustic rendition of last year’s critically acclaimed work. In addition to his “One Night Dance” tour, he recently wrapped up a two-weekend gig sharing the stage with country legend Willie Nelson.
You could say King has earned a break. As he and his fiancée, Brittany, prepare to welcome their first child, King will take a few weeks off from his tour in April. However, he’ll be back on the road on May 2.
“We’re always playing,” he says. “This year we’ll slow down because my kid’s coming. So I’m taking time off for that, which will be the first month I’ve really ever done that. We’re dipping down to about 120 shows. We’re slowing down just a touch.”
To maintain such a challenging tour schedule, which involves travel, performing, and being away from his Nashville home three out of four weeks each month, requires not just a workhorse mentality. For the former high school wide receiver, now at age 33, training isn’t a luxury; it has become a necessity in order to maintain peak onstage performance for 134 shows, just like he did in 2024.
It takes a commitment to get in the conditioning work, as well as hitting the weights regularly. A morning run and a membership at Planet Fitness have become essential for fitting in workouts before his work begins. When he’s home, he relies on Brittany as his motivating workout partner, and together they spend time in the kitchen trying to keep their nutrition on point as well.
“When I don’t work out, I feel draggy and tired all day. But when I do exercise, it improves my mental clarity,” he says. “When I sweat and get my heart rate up, I actually have more mental clarity. It helps me as a songwriter. It gets me firing on all cylinders, thinking clearly, and allows me to write more effectively.”
While nearly a million folks each month stream his hits, the only person not listening to his tunes is King himself—at least when it comes to working out. To get fit for a yearlong cross-country concert tour, King avoids country music entirely. “I listen to Breaking Benjamin, a hard rock band,” he admits. “Their music gets me hyped and energized. Country music just doesn’t do that for me while I’m working out. I can’t max out to George Strait. It’s just not happening.”
High School Football Brought out the Weightroom Regimen for Randall King
No offense intended to the king of country music, George Strait, but Randall King credits his muscle-building motivation to his days in the high school weight room, where he trained to emulate quarterbacks like Tony Romo and Peyton Manning in football-crazy Texas.
However, King ended up at wide receiver, playing six-man football at a small private school in Amarillo. “Six-man was just a crazy game. It’s a lot of fun,” he says. He experienced modest success on the gridiron, making some game-breaking plays on occasion. “We were up by about ten points,” he recalls of a game against rival Vega High School, “and we threw a deep ball to put them away. I shot down the sideline, and the ball fell right into my hands in the corner of the end zone. It was a beautiful moment.”
The program listed him at 6 feet, 165 pounds, with a touch of downfield speed. He admits he is no longer in wide receiver shape. “I was more lanky than stout,” he recalls. “This is the heaviest I’ve ever been. I hit 33, and I just started packing on a little bulk.” Back then, he remembers his athleticism as a two-way player. “I played wide receiver and cornerback, so all I did was run. I was in top-notch shape—there wasn’t an ounce of fat on my body. I was ridiculous.”
King says he and his teammates would push each other in the weight room four days a week, with a fifth day dedicated to on-field conditioning. “Back then, we just tried to lift as heavy as we could and push each other. You had to stand your ground.”
Randall King Keeps Fishing for Better Nutrition
King has since swapped his high school football jersey for a closet full of Patrick Mahomes jerseys, switching allegiances to the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback and fellow Texas Tech alum. “I probably have one for every day of the week,” he jokes. These days, the jerseys may fit a little more snugly than they did nearly two decades ago. “It’s probably from a little more beer,” he laughs.
When he’s home in Nashville, King and Brittany try to keep their at-home diet as healthy as possible to stay lean. “We often do chicken and rice,” he says. “We also enjoy steak, potatoes, and greens. We eat that kind of stuff when we’re working out hard.”
Another one of Randall King’s protein favorites is catfish, especially when he has a moment to get out on the water and go jugline fishing. These days, it’s a privilege for this outdoorsman to find time for outdoor activities. “We take advantage of our days off between shows.”
Whether he’s in some of his favorite spots—Colorado, Montana, or Texas’ Lake Texoma—it’s all about what he affectionately calls “redneck fishing.” “We set out about 15 to 20 jugs, bait them all up, and then come back a couple of hours later to pull the lines up. Certain times of the year, you can catch some really big catfish.”
When it comes to cooking his catch, King often grills his catfish, adding lemon and spices, and wrapping it in aluminum foil. However, when it’s time to indulge, deep frying is his preferred method. “When it’s fresh catfish, you lightly batter it and set it in the deep fryer and just let it cook,” he says. “That’s the only way.”
He also enjoys grilling, especially when marinating with lemon and spices wrapped in aluminum foil. It makes for a good meal, he says, especially during family gatherings. “At family reunions, we host a fish fry on the final Saturday, cooking between 50 to 100 fish for around 200 people. It’s good eating!”
Training and Performance Is a Team Effort, According to Randall King
When is a song complete? In Randall King’s words, the answer may be never, making songwriting an ever-evolving process. This is why he often tweaks lyrics whenever a new idea pops into his head. “I don’t know that a song’s truly ever done,” he admits. “There are still little things I change live within my lyrics. After years of singing, I find that I kind of like this version better, so I’ll incorporate it and try something different.”
King collaborates with a group of trusted songwriters to produce top albums like Into the Neon. He credits teamwork for much of his success, both in the studio and on stage. It’s this collaborative effort that granted him the incredible opportunity to perform with country legend Willie Nelson. “My team has given me opportunities to grow—especially now that I get to work with one of my favorite legends. Whatever he has to say, I’m all ears,” he notes.
Staying fit also requires a supportive team surrounding him; in this case, it’s Brittany, a former gymnast who pushes King to be the best version of himself. “When we work out together, it’s about lifting each other up to keep pushing and going.”
The couple attempted the 75 Hard challenge—a viral workout program involving no alcohol, clean eating, and two short workouts a day, both indoors and outdoors. Although they made it 45 days before having to skip one day, their commitment to staying fit has stuck long-term. They now typically work out for 30 to 45 minutes almost daily, reinforcing their dedication to fitness and to each other.
“I focus on cardio and light weights or even just bodyweight workouts,” King explains. “Keeping my heart rate up and the intensity high for 30 minutes seems to work best for me.”
For King, hitting the weights or the pavement provides a moment to align his mind. Fitness isn’t just a physical requirement; it also fuels his creativity and mental clarity. “A quick 30-minute workout or run boosts blood flow and heart rate, helping me be more productive as a songwriter. It allows me to think clearly and function at my best, especially when I’m in the room with top songwriters.”
When on the road, he relies on his Planet Fitness membership. “They’re all over the country, so I can just pop in and get a decent workout,” he shares. However, he admits that when he skips a workout, it affects his performance on stage. “The cardio helps because when I’m on stage, I’m walking around, running, and singing. It’s all about your breath, diaphragm, and core. If any of those are weak, it makes it hard to sing, especially while performing.”
For the “I Could Be That Rain” singer, a half-hour run is more than just getting in a physical workout. Taking the time to get his body right also allows him to refocus his mind, which is crucial for an artist on the road as much as he is, especially with the new challenges he faces as a new parent. Fitness has become a lifestyle game changer. “It puts me in a different mindset, even regarding my relationship with Christ,” he reflects. “When you’re out there running, you get time to think, reflect, and talk to God. It opens up space and time for gratitude and contemplation, and I love it.”
