Cole Swindell Artistfacts

June 30, 1983
Cole Swindell's journey to country music stardom began as a student at Georgia Southern University, where he started writing songs.

"I remember writing stuff in high school, like short stories, but it wasn't until college when I realized that I was buying albums and really focusing on who wrote the songs," he told BMI. "At that point, I kind of knew. I was singing cover songs in bars and having people sing them back - and it was the best feeling in the world being on stage - but I wanted to be writing my own songs."
After meeting former student and fellow Sigma Chi fraternity brother Luke Bryan - who was playing a show on campus at the time - the two stayed in touch. When Swindell moved to Nashville after college, he joined Bryan's crew, selling merch while quietly building his songwriting portfolio.
Swindell's talent soon blossomed. He landed a publishing deal and started churning out hits for artists like Bryan ("Roller Coaster," "Beer In The Headlights"), Florida Georgia Line ("This Is How We Roll" feat Bryan), Thomas Rhett ("Get Me Some of That"), Craig Campbell ("Outta My Head") and Scotty McCreery ("Water Tower Town").
As Swindell built a reputation as a songwriter, he didn't abandon his own aspirations. He joined select dates on Luke Bryan's Dirt Road Diaries tour, testing the waters as a solo artist. In 2013, Swindell's independently released single "Chillin' It" caught fire thanks to airplay on SiriusXM's "The Highway" channel. This landed him a record deal with Warner Music Nashville.
While Swindell has plenty of upbeat party anthems, he's also known for his heart-rending breakup songs. Tracks like "Middle of a Memory" and "Break Up In The End" showcase his ability to capture the emotional turmoil of heartbreak.
Life hasn't always been easy for Swindell. He faced the loss of his father in 2013 and his mother in 2021. Their deaths shaped his music, adding depth and relatability, particularly evident in his ballad "You Should Be Here," a song inspired by the loss of his father.
Swindell is passionate about giving back. He's a strong supporter of the USO and often performs for deployed troops. He's also involved with charities that support children's hospitals and veterans' causes.
Swindell has found love with his wife Courtney Little, a former NBA dancer who was Miss Teen North Carolina 2017. They first met at a NASCAR race, and their connection sparked during the filming of his music video for "Some Habits," where Courtney played his love interest. The couple tied the knot on June 12, 2024, in an outdoor ceremony in Sonoma, California. Swindell traded his signature ball cap for a classic black cowboy hat for the occasion.

"We met several years ago actually," he told The Bobby Bones Show in 2022. "You know, I'm a big NASCAR fan, and she works with Monster. We just kind of met and exchanged numbers and kept in touch over the years - but it never was anything, just kind of friends. Randomly saw her here and there, but the video kind of changed everything."
Cole Swindell grew up in the small town of Dawson, Georgia and attended Terrell Academy. Coming from a tiny high school class of just 60 graduates, Swindell was in on just about every play as a wide receiver, cornerback, punter and kick returner. He says he might not have made the team at a bigger school and is glad he had the chance to do it all on the field.
In high school, Swindell went through a heavy Dave Matthews phase, collecting bootleg CDs and admiring the band's stage presence - particularly Dave's guitar playing. He gave up on trying to mimic Matthews' complex chord shapes, but it was a formative period musically.

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