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Claiborne County native Andrew Hopson continues his steady climb up the charts and into the hearts of the country music industry and its fan base. His second single, “New to Neon” is set to premiere on Sept. 30 on the Heartland Network, a broadcast television station that currently reaches 40 million homes in addition to Roku and live stream audiences.

Hopson showed his immense musical chops on his debut single, co-writing and releasing “Stronger than That” to rave reviews. It wasn’t long before the song settled into the Music Row Top 50 charts.

The singer-songwriter previously released a revamped version of “Paint the Town Redneck,” recorded by John Michael Montgomery who is one of Hopson’s musical heroes.

The song sets the tone for the type of artist Hopson says he wants to be – holding on to the traditional sounds of  90s country while adding a modern touch inspired by his love of rock and metal music.

Hopson says he owes a good portion of his musical inspiration to his older brother, whose guitar was used to learn those first few chords. It wasn’t long before Hopson was playing songs by rock legends Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple.

An abiding love for all things country eventually seeped into the music Hopson played. Country legends like Merle Haggard, Hank Williams Sr., Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings and others inspired him, he says.

“Country music reflects the heart of our country’s pioneer spirit. I’m just a country boy singing about country life in east Tennessee,” said Hopson, adding that he enjoys using a mix of traditional country, a little rock and a hint of heartfelt ballad during his live shows.

“It’s amazing to see the kind of emotions a song can pull from an audience,” said Hopson.

The new single “New to Neon” is a storytelling ballad about a straight-laced girl finding her way through the bright lights of Music City. Written by the songwriting team Brian Callihan and Phillip O’Donnell, the song showcases some very descriptive lines including:

“Wall Street dress showing that sprayed on sunshine” and “She ain’t never felt the world shake from an old bar stool.”

The video shows Hopson as he narrates the girl’s story from the corner of a smoky bar.

Hopson says he knew he had a special song on his hands when Brad Nowell (from the Society of European Stage Authors and Composers – SESAC) gave him the demo.

“Phil O’Donnell and Brian Callihan are among the most celebrated writers on Music Row. Everyone from Blake Shelton to Craig Morgan has sung their big hits. I am honored to get this opportunity to sing one of their songs,” said Hopson.

Nowell says he celebrates the opportunity to work with Hopson.

“When I heard Andrew sing, I knew this song was perfect for him. We are excited to see where it goes and how Andrew’s career continues to grow,” said Nowell.

An official music video has been produced for the new single with a few airings scheduled for Sept. 30 at 2 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. and again on Oct. 1 at 8 p.m., and Oct. 2 at midnight and again at 7 a.m.

Heartland Network will then place the single on rotation at their discretion.

Hopson continues to write and record his music and is currently working towards the release of his first EP (extended play) album.

For more information, or to stay “in the know,” log onto: www.AndrewHopson.com.