Robby KleinLaine Hardy has been generating buzz and growing his fan base ever since he snagged the winning spot on Season 17 of American Idol last year. Now, the rising star is ready to make his official country radio debut.

For his first single, Laine has selected “Tiny Town,” a wistful look back at simpler times, when the singer was growing up in a tight-knit rural community. He first shared the track earlier this summer.

The story is a personal one for the singer, who grew up in Livingston, Louisiana, with a population of just 2,000. Since then, he’s left that life behind — first for the glamor of the American Idol stage, and then for the hallowed studios of Music City, where he’s been working with Jason Aldean’s producer, Michael Knox.

But part of Laine will always belong to the small-town lifestyle that raised him, and many of his songs — including “Tiny Town” — pay homage to those roots.  He also hints that there’s music where that came from. In fact, Laine’s planning to share another ode to his hometown this Friday, titled “Other LA,” which he co-wrote.

“When all the hustle & bustle of the show was going on, I just missed some of the comforts of home,” the singer explains, referencing how his song captures the homesickness he sometimes felt during his stint on American Idol.

“I love L.A. and being out there, but sometimes I miss my other LA. Can’t keep a country guy locked in the city for too long,” Laine adds.

“Tiny Town” officially hits the airwaves this week, after already becoming a grassroots fan-favorite with over two million audio and video streams.

By Carena Liptak
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