Ryan Hurd at The Midland

One listen to “Michigan For The Winter” is about all it takes to get a handle on Ryan Hurd and his unique approach to country. It’s set in the Midwest, instead of country’s stereotypical South. It’s a song about personal retreat and reflection, instead of the usual big summer party tune. Hurd loaded the lyrics with cinematic, scene-setting images and delivers it with a grainy vulnerability, longing to rekindle a broken relationship but perfectly capable of moving forward alone. And with that song, the world gets to know Hurd, a Nashville-based singer/songwriter whose brand of country is just a sliver outside the norms of Music Row.