Acclaimed singer, songwriter and musician Jay Buchanan, frontman of the Grammy-nominated rock group Rival Sons, made a surprise appearance at Stagecoach Festival last weekend with headliner Cody Johnson.

The world’s largest country music festival, held annually in Indio, California features top country, folk, bluegrass, and rock artists. Headliners this year included Post Malone, Lainey Wilson, and Cody Johnson, who Buchanan guested on stage with last weekend, to perform their new Amazon Music Original track ‘Rabbit Gets the Gun”, which came out last week, exclusive to Amazon Music.

Speaking after the show Buchanan stated: “What an incredible night, what a beautiful audience. The vibe was so generous, how could you not just give everything you’ve got in return?”

Now you can catch up with the live performance exclusively on Amazon Music – watch the video of ‘Rabbit Gets The Gun‘ – here

The duet  ‘Rabbit Gets The Gun‘ was recorded in Nashville last month with Grammy-award winning producer Dave Cobb and perfectly timed for Cody Johnson’s headline set at Stagecoach Friday night. Written by Levi Lowrey and Travis Meadows, the track is a gritty country rocker that channels a bold, rebellious energy as it explores themes of authority, justice, and shifting power dynamics.

The Country Star, has not been shy about his love of Rival Sons and Jay Buchanan stating:

“Rival Sons has always been my favorite rock band,” Johnson continues, “I loved being in the studio with him (Jay Buchanan). It was an out-of-this-world experience. He has so much soul and grit, and an unmistakable voice. We are so excited about our recording and want to get it out as soon as possible. Maybe I’ll add it to my Stagecoach set list.” Which indeed he did…

Buchanan elaborates about how the collaboration came about: “When Cody reached out, I was immediately interested. I’ve been approached by country artists these last few years but it always felt like a marketing-first, art-second thing so I passed.  From our first conversation Cody was clearly a different breed and the song was clearly on point.”

“Recording was easy and collaborative, feeling like an excuse to hang and share road stories which is the way it should be in RCA Studio A. After singing side by side and working all day together it’s no surprise to see Cody at the top of the hill he’s on, dude’s got the chops and charm in spades along with a good dose of Texas onery. Hell of a voice. As for the song itself, I suppose it could be interpreted any number of ways, but in the end, it is an underdog story. After a couple conversations, we realized that’s something that both Cody and I deeply relate to from lived-in, hard-worn experience. Song’s got a beast under the hood… or saddle.”

Multi-Platinum-selling 2026 ACM Entertainer of the Year nominee Cody Johnson, who “just might be the future of real country music,” continues to live up to those expectations as his reputation and popularity grow among fans, the media, and the music industry. His career now boasts six highly successful albums, including the 2024 CMA Album of the Year, ‘Leather‘.

Last week, Cody announced his new studio album, ‘Banks Of The Trinity‘, will be released on June 26^th, 2026. Produced by Trent Willmon, the COJO Music/Warner Records Nashville album will be available in stores and on all digital retailers and streaming platforms. ‘Banks Of The Trinity‘ is now available for pre-order – here.

Jay Buchanan released his debut solo album titled ‘Weapons Of Beauty‘ to universal praise earlier this year. “Jay Buchanan looks set to be Americana’s next big superstar.” – Holler

The record went to number 8 in the Americana charts, and includes the singles ‘Caroline‘, ‘True Black‘ and ‘Deep Swimming‘.

About ‘Weapons Of Beauty’:

While Buchanan’s debut album ‘Weapons Of Beauty‘ marks his return to his storyteller roots, his voice remains his signature instrument: powerful, earthen, and expressive, a gritty echo of his native California mountains.

Produced by longtime collaborator and multi-GRAMMY Award-winner Dave Cobb (Chris Stapleton, Jason Isbell) and written in the solitude of an underground bunker deep in the Mojave Desert, ‘Weapons Of Beauty‘ is the result of months of reflection and experimentation—an unfiltered 10-song collection that captures Buchanan’s raw vocals and lived-in storytelling. Dave Cobb shares, “I think this record is like seeing into the heart of Jay, no filter, no noise, just pure raw emotion.” The first track shared from the album titled ‘Caroline‘ was released last year and accompanied by a video filmed down an abandoned gold mine near where Jay wrote the album. Watch the official music video – here.

“As music continues to be choked out by technology, I wanted to draw pictures in the dirt,” Buchanan reflects. “This approach is right with me and I’ve just come to a point where there is no longer a choice. ‘Weapons Of Beauty‘ is the sound of these plates shifting within me, too loud to ignore. Surprisingly, I’ve never known a vulnerability to feel so empowering.” 

The album was recorded at Dave Cobb’s studio in Savannah, Georgia, with a small ensemble of Nashville’s finest — Chris Powell (drums), Leroy Powell (pedal steel guitar), Brian Allen (bass), J.D. Simo (guitar), and Philip Towns (keys).

Buchanan also enlisted longtime friend and acclaimed American realist painter Jeremy Lipking to create the album’s striking cover, a romantic counterpart to the music’s love of the American landscape, see it – here.

Visionary film maker Scott Cooper (who directed Buchanan in ‘Deliver Me From Nowhere‘, the recent Springsteen biopic movie) thoughtfully sequenced the record, deftly weaving its songs into a narrative arc that plays like a film.

“If my version of God were the craft itself,” Buchanan reflects, “then this album might be my prayer.”

With ‘Weapons Of Beauty‘, Jay Buchanan delivers not just a solo debut, but a revelation — a shimmering, soul-worn testament to a life dedicated to song.

About Rival Sons:

California-based, double GRAMMY®-nominated rock band Rival Sons tap into something timeless — a sense of mystery, swagger, and uncompromising devotion to rock ’n’ roll. Their catalogue includes the landmark albums Pressure & Time (2011), Great Western Valkyrie (2014), and Feral Roots (2019), which earned nominations for Best Rock Album and Best Rock Performance.

Hand-picked by Black Sabbath for their final tour and chosen this year by Guns N’ Roses for their 2025 European stadium run, Rival Sons have shared stages with The Rolling Stones, AC/DC, Aerosmith, Metallica, and Lenny Kravitz, and appeared on major television shows from Letterman to Jools Holland.

As Ozzy Osbourne put it:
“It’s so refreshing to see a band coming up with such a great vibe… you see 500 bands and you see one and you go ‘fck, they’re good.”

Rival Sons have recently announced their headline slot at this year’s Steelhouse festival in Wales as well as Tons Of Rock, Norway plus two Swedish headline shows.