Draft:Kashus Culpepper
 | Review waiting, please be patient.
This may take 5 weeks or more, since drafts are reviewed in no specific order. There are 2,679 pending submissions waiting for review.
Where to get help
How to improve a draft
You can also browse Wikipedia:Featured articles and Wikipedia:Good articles to find examples of Wikipedia's best writing on topics similar to your proposed article. Improving your odds of a speedy review To improve your odds of a faster review, tag your draft with relevant WikiProject tags using the button below. This will let reviewers know a new draft has been submitted in their area of interest. For instance, if you wrote about a female astronomer, you would want to add the Biography, Astronomy, and Women scientists tags. Editor resources
Reviewer tools
|
Where to get help
How to improve a draft
You can also browse Wikipedia:Featured articles and Wikipedia:Good articles to find examples of Wikipedia's best writing on topics similar to your proposed article. Improving your odds of a speedy review To improve your odds of a faster review, tag your draft with relevant WikiProject tags using the button below. This will let reviewers know a new draft has been submitted in their area of interest. For instance, if you wrote about a female astronomer, you would want to add the Biography, Astronomy, and Women scientists tags. Editor resources
This draft has been resubmitted and is currently awaiting re-review. |  |
Kashus Culpepper | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 28, 1997 Alexander City, Alabama United States |
| Genres | |
| Occupations |
|
| Instruments |
|
| Years active | 2021–present |
| Labels | |
Kashus Culpepper (born July 28, 1997) is an American singer-songwriter from Alexander City, Alabama. He is known for his husky vocals and eclectic sound, which incorporates elements of blues, soul, rock, folk, and country. His debut album, Act I was released in January 2026.
Early life
[edit]Growing up in Alexander City, Alabama, Culpepper was always around music, usually hearing it in Church, or in his parent's car. He previously worked as a firefighter and EMT before becoming a Navy corpsman. While stationed in Spain during the COVID-19 pandemic, he was gifted a guitar, which he learned how to play and he eventually began performing for his fellow corpsmen, with their encouragement convincing him to begin posting cover songs online. His time in the military also introduced him to artists like Tyler Childers, Sturgill Simpson, and Kolton Moore, who would later inspire him to write his own music. Culpepper left the Navy in 2022 and began booking and performing cover shows across the Mississippi Gulf Coast.[1]
Career
[edit]Culpepper began his music career performing cover songs, and cites a specific show at Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville for highlighting his frustration with the lack of creative expression, leading him to begin working on his own songwriting in 2023, moving back home to Alabama, and posting clips of his original songs on TikTok, which drew the attention of record labels. He subsequently moved to Nashville in order to further develop his songwriting.[2]
Following his move, Culpepper was named one of the "10 Nashville artists you need to know in 2024" by The Tennessean.[3]A cover of Childers' "Messed Up Kid" resulted in Culpepper signing with Big Loud in June 2024 and releasing his debut single "After Me?" shortly after.[4] With their backing, he commenced work on his debut album, which including co-writing with others for the first time. The label also helped him to book bigger shows, which Culpepper stated caused him to struggle with impostor syndrome after so many years of performing other people's music, but that a conversation with Charles Wesley Godwin, whom he was opening for, helped to reassure him.[5]
Culpepper officially announced his debut album, Act I, on October 25, 2025. Recorded at the famous Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in Alabama, Culpepper stated of the project, "this record has so many emotions in it. Love. Heartbreak. Joy. Anger. Hope. Everything that makes us human. It’s been a journey creating these songs. At times it even feels like a movie, looking back on the moments that shaped it. Lord knows I’m grateful for every moment. I hope you can find a piece of yourself in these songs, and in this album."[6][7] Act I was released on January 23, 2026.[8]
On June 10, 2026, Culpepper announced a follow-up five track extended play, Act I: Summer Nights, would be released on June 19, which he advised would further explore the R&B side of his sound while still feeling connected to his established country, soul, and Americana roots. The project also included a cover of Glen Campbell's "Southern Nights".[9]
Artistry
[edit]Of his sound, which blends a variety of genres including soul, rhythm and blues, country, rock, and folk, Culpepper explained, “we all considered ourselves country folks in the part of ‘Bama I’m from, but you’re still surrounded by all these different kinds of music. I found country very early, and blues and gospel, too. I just consider myself ‘Southern sounds’ because all the music I heard growing up was Southern music, and country was in that mix of all of it.” Some of his early sonic influences include Tyler Childers, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, Chris Stapleton, Howlin' Wolf, Ray LaMontagne, and Sturgill Simpson.[10] He also listed Willie Nelson, Lead Belly, Otis Redding, Brenda Lee, Hank Williams, Etta James, Aretha Franklin, The Allman Brothers Band, Louis Armstrong, The Avett Brothers, Nina Simone, Robert Johnson, Wilson Pickett, and The Rolling Stones as other influences. On his Apple Music radio show, Elton John notably described Culpepper's sound as "if Bill Withers made country music". Further discussing his experimentation with genre, Culpepper stated, "I’m not trying to put myself in a box. I just love good music and timeless music. That’s all I’m trying to create. Music’s supposed to be a community thing."[11]
Discography
[edit]Studio albums
[edit]| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Act I |
|
Extended plays
[edit]| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Act I: Summer Nights |
|
Singles
[edit]| Year | Song | Peak chart positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| US AAA | |||
| 2024 | "After Me?"[12] | 18 | Act 1 |
| "Who Hurt You" | — | Non-album single | |
| "Out of My Mind" | — | Act 1 | |
| "Pour Me Out" | — | Non-album singles | |
| 2025 | "Jenni" | — | |
| "Talk With Me" | — | ||
| "Southern Man" (feat. Marcus King) | — | Act 1 | |
| "Man of His Words"[13] | 16 | ||
| "Broken Wing Bird" (feat. Sierra Ferrell) | — | ||
| "Believe"[14] | 9 | ||
| "Mean To Me" | — | ||
| "In Her Eyes" | — | ||
Awards and nominations
[edit]| Year | Association | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Americana Music Honors & Awards | Emerging Act of the Year | Himself | Nominated | [15][16] |
References
[edit]- ↑ Wickstrom, Matt (April 2, 2026). "Kashus Culpepper Dreams Big on Act I". The Bluegrass Situation.
- ↑ Eqbal, Amelia (May 4, 2026). "Kashus Culpepper realized his life was wastin' away in a Margaritaville". CBC Arts.
- ↑ Dowling, Marcus K. (January 25, 2024). "From country to Americana, rock to pop, 10 Nashville artists you need to know in 2024". The Tennessean.
- ↑ "KASHUS CULPEPPER SIGNS TO BIG LOUD RECORDS". Big Loud. June 12, 2024.
- ↑ Crutchmer, Josh (January 23, 2026). "Kashus Culpepper, Powered by Muscle Shoals, Arrives With Debut Album 'Act 1'". Rolling Stone.
- ↑ Coroneos, Kyle (October 25, 2025). "Kashus Culpepper Announces Debut Album". Saving Country Music.
- ↑ Kelly, Brennan (October 26, 2025). "Kashus Culpepper Announces Debut Album "Act I," Releases New Single, "Mean To Me"". Whiskey Riff.
- ↑ Mower, Maxim (January 23, 2026). "Kashus Culpepper Releases Highly Anticipated Debut Album "Act I"". Holler.
- ↑ Hopkins, Megan (June 10, 2026). "Kashus Culpepper Announces New EP Act I: Summer Nights". Country Town.
- ↑ Hannaford, Jim (September 25, 2026). "Kashus Culpepper: Southern Sounds, Navy Roots and Life Outdoors". Hook & Barrel.
- ↑ Daniell, Mark (June 27, 2026). "Breakout country star Kashus Culpepper makes a lasting impression on Elton John". Toronto Sun.
- ↑ "Billboard Adult Alternative Airplay: Week of June 14, 2025". Billboard. Retrieved March 31, 2026.
{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Billboard Adult Alternative Airplay: Week of May 23, 2026". Billboard. Retrieved March 31, 2026.
{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Billboard Adult Alternative Airplay: Week of December 6, 2025". Billboard. Retrieved March 31, 2026.
{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ Hahnen, Madison (May 21, 2026). "Nominees Unveiled For 2026 Americana Music Honors & Awards". MusicRow.
- ↑ "2026 Americana Honors & Awards Nominees Announced". The Bluegrass Situation. May 22, 2026.
Category:People from Alexander City, Alabama Category:Singers from Alabama Category:21st-century American male singers]] Category:21st-century African-American male singers Category:American male singer-songwriters Category:American rhythm and blues singer-songwriters Category:American soul singers Category:Living people Category:1997 births Category:American country singer-songwriters Category:American male singer-songwriters Category:Country musicians from Alabama Category:People from Alabama
- Reliable sources include: reputable newspapers, magazines, academic journals, and books from respected publishers.
- Unacceptable sources include: personal blogs, social media, predatory publishers, most tabloids, and websites where anyone can contribute.
Replace any unreliable sources with high-quality sources. If you cannot find a reliable source for the material, it should be removed.