When multi-PLATINUM duo The Reklaws and international breakout artist Drake Milligan teamed up for their newest single “Honky Tonkin’ About,” traveling to Romania to film a music video on the Paramount film set wasn’t something any of the Country artists expected. But when the opportunity presented itself, the country artists booked the first flight. The music video is a visual masterpiece, so keep an eye out for cameos from some of Hollywood’s most iconic actors. As The Reklaws and Drake embrace their country roots with swoon-worthy harmonies, the video delivers the rowdy Reklaws party with a timeless twist that captures the spirit of honky-tonk traditions.
Directed by Mac Grant, Chad Tennies and Ben Knechtel, with executive producer Leslie Greif, the music video takes viewers on an exhilarating journey into an 1800s honky tonk. The video features star-studded guest appearances from Christopher McDonald (Happy Gilmore), Robert Knepper (Prison Break), and Mary-Louise Parker (Weeds). The video was shot on location in Romania on the set of The Grey House (Kevin Costner, Morgan Freeman) with an Oscar award-winning team.
The music video for “Honky Tonkin’ About” whisks viewers on a “back to the future” adventure. The story unfolds in the present day, with The Reklaws waiting for their ride in front of a venue. But instead of a modern-day rideshare, a horse and carriage arrives, driven by none other than Christopher McDonald. This journey transports them back in time to the town’s watering hole, where they introduce “new country” music to a crowd of bewildered and curious 1800s revelers.
“We wanted our fans to feel like they’re watching a movie, and that’s exactly what this is! The work put in by the directors, actors, and performers was truly remarkable to witness, and even more incredible to be a part of,” shares Jenna and Stuart of The Reklaws. “Going to Romania for the music video was a once-in-a-lifetime adventure and having Drake Milligan join us made it even more unforgettable. We are so thankful for the opportunity from Leslie Greif, and it is such a treat to deliver something so fresh and unique to our fans.”
“I was honoured when The Reklaws reached out about featuring me on their song ‘Honky Tonkin’ About’,” shares Milligan. “They are wonderful artists and became fast friends through this process. I hope our fans have as much fun watching this music video as we had filming it!”
Written by The Reklaws’ Stuart Walker, Blake Redferrin (Florida Georgia Line), Thomas “Tawgs” Salter (Josh Groban, Hunter Hayes) and Callum Maudsley, the track came together as the group dreamed of being able to get back into bars and onto stages during wide-spread lockdowns in 2021. “We were trying to pull ourselves out of a funk one day during the pandemic so we sat down and thought about what we would want to party to at a honky tonk on a Friday night with our friends. From those daydreams, this song was born,” shared Stuart Walker.
Since the track released earlier this summer, critical acclaim for the boot-stomping tune has rolled in, with Billboard tapping it a “hard charging, rousing track” and Country Now adding it’s a “rowdy tune with the kind of grit that gets country music lovers on their feet.” As “Honky Tonkin’ About” continues to gain momentum, already sitting inside the Top 10 at country radio, The Reklaws and Milligan took their collaboration to centre stage at the 2023 Canadian Country Music Awards, where The Reklaws hosted the national broadcast, before taking home the award for Top Selling Canadian Album for their 2022 album, Good Ol’ Days.
ABOUT THE REKLAWS:
The Reklaws are a one-of-a-kind duo made up of siblings Jenna and Stuart Walker, proud to bring the party to every stage they stand on. The Reklaws found breakout success with their debut single “Long Live the Night,” the most-streamed domestic song of all Canadian country artists and theme song for the CFL Thursday Night Football national broadcast in 2018/2019. 2021 was a record-breaking year for the duo when their viral TikTok hit “What the Truck” earned PLATINUM-certification, making it the fastest-ever Canadian country song to go PLATINUM in the streaming era. The pair kicked off 2023 by securing three coveted JUNO nominations for TikTok JUNO Fan’s Choice, Group or Duo of the Year and Country Album of the Year. They recently hosted the 2023 CCMA Awards on CTV, winning Top Selling Canadian Album for their 2022 release Good Ol’ Days, after taking home wins in 2022 for the second consecutive year for Top Selling Canadian Single (“What the Truck” feat. SACHA) and Group or Duo of the Year.
The Reklaws hold 8 JUNO nominations, 8 CCMA Awards, 3 #1s at Canadian Radio, 2 DOUBLE PLATINUM, 8 PLATINUM and 13 GOLD singles and a GOLD-certified debut album (Freshman Year). In addition, the pair have 300M+ Global Streams, 6 of the top 20 streamed singles by a Canadian country artist since 2019 (more than any other artist) and the most domestically streamed debut album in Canadian country history. Listen to their new single “Honky Tonkin’ About” with Drake Milligan out everywhere now.
ABOUT DRAKE MILLIGAN:
Drake Milligan burst onto the national music stage entering the Billboard Emerging Artists Chart at #5 after dominating iTunes with his debut album Dallas/Fort Worth, charting back-to-back #1 hits on the iTunes CountrySongs Chart, #1 on iTunes All-Genre Chart and reclaimed the #1 spot on iTunes Country Albums Chart, all while simultaneously holding positions #1, #2, #3 and #5 on iTunes Country Video Chart. In the UK, Milligan’s debut album spent 11 consecutive weeks in the Top 20 of the Official Country Artists Albums Chart. A student of classic Country music with the swagger of early Rock ‘n’ Roll, the Fort Worth, Texas native is an electrifying entertainer who is packing Country fans into clubs’ night after night on tour. Milligan cites George Strait and Elvis Presley-the King of Country and the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll-as musical heroes. His unique twist of traditional Country has been embraced by fans, peers, and the media alike. Milligan has performed on The Kelly Clarkson Show, The Grand Ole Opry, Stagecoach, and CMA Music Festival. He has earned high praise from People, BBC, USA Today, Parade, American Songwriter, CMT.com, Billboard, ET, Access Hollywood, Cosmopolitan, Cowgirl Magazine, and Taste of Country. Following his debut album, co-produced by award-winning Tony Brown and Brandon Hood, the Stoney Creek Records artist is back with new music, dropping the good-time, romantic tune “I Got A Problem” that he performed on NBC’s highest rated show America’s Got Talent the week before he performed his fun-loving duet “Honky Tonkin’ About” with Canadian supergroup The Reklaws at the 2023 Canadian Country Music Awards.