Walker Montgomery Is Keeping Country in the Family | Walker Montgomery

There aren't many young country artists who enter Nashville carrying a last name with as much history as Walker Montgomery.

But when Walker joined Heart of the Gulch during CMA Fest 2025, the conversation wasn't about trying to recreate the past. Fresh off his engagement and preparing new music, Walker was focused on building a career that sounds like him — while keeping the traditional country foundation that helped shape him.

Country artist Walker Montgomery during his Heart of the Gulch interview at CMA Fest in Nashville.

And with “Nothing Like You Nowhere,” a new project produced by Bart Butler and a viral version of “I Love the Way You Love Me,” that identity was becoming increasingly clear.

Inside Walker Montgomery’s Heart of the Gulch Interview

Welcome to Heart of the Gulch, a Nashville-based interview show and country music platform featuring artists, singer-songwriters and personalities shaping music and entertainment. Host and creator Tony Mendoza sat down with Walker Montgomery during CMA Fest to discuss “Nothing Like You Nowhere,” his engagement, traditional country music and what he was building next.

Country Music Is in the Blood

Being the son of John Michael Montgomery means Walker grew up around country music history.

But carrying the Montgomery name also comes with expectations.

Heart of the Gulch host Tony Mendoza interviewing Walker Montgomery during CMA Fest.

Rather than running from that traditional sound, Walker has embraced it while finding ways to make it his own. His music leans heavily into the '90s country influences he grew up around, with fiddle, steel guitar and storytelling remaining at the center. His previous Bart Butler-produced Work to Do EP was built around that same approach.

“Nothing Like You Nowhere” Arrived at the Perfect Time

Walker released “Nothing Like You Nowhere” on May 30, 2025, just days before CMA Fest.

The timing couldn't have been much better.

Walker had held onto the song for roughly three years before finally recording it with Bart Butler — and then got engaged shortly before its release. What wasn't originally planned as an engagement-era love song suddenly fit his life almost perfectly.

We talked about that new chapter, wedding planning and how his personal life was beginning to intersect with the music he was recording.

A Viral Connection to His Dad's Music

Walker Montgomery discussing his new music and “Nothing Like You Nowhere” with Heart of the Gulch.

Walker has also found a new audience through his version of “I Love the Way You Love Me,” a song famously recorded by his father, John Michael Montgomery.

Instead of distancing himself from his family's musical history, Walker has found ways to honor it while introducing that traditional sound to a younger audience.

That connection between generations is becoming one of the most interesting parts of his career.

Another Big CMA Fest Moment

Walker capped off his CMA Fest run with a performance on the Good Molecules Reverb Stage outside Bridgestone Arena, joining a lineup of emerging country artists taking over downtown Nashville.

For an artist building his own place in country music while carrying one of its recognizable family names, it felt like another important step.

Watch Walker Montgomery on Heart of the Gulch

Watch our full conversation with Walker Montgomery as he discusses “Nothing Like You Nowhere,” his engagement, the influence of traditional country music and carrying the Montgomery family legacy into his own career.

Tony Mendoza is the Nashville-based host and creator of Heart of the Gulch, featuring conversations with country artists, singer-songwriters and personalities from Nashville and beyond.