Country Star Riley Green Admits He's Still 'Adjusting' to Fame: 'Less Tricky Because It Was So Gradual'

Growing up in Alabama, Riley Green spent some time playing in local bars, but now his star power has risen, going on to duet with Thomas Rhett, Luke Combs, Justin Moore and more, all while winning awards and having hit singles on the radio.

"I'm still adjusting — but when you have a mustache, nobody wants to talk to you," the 35-year-old joked while talking to OK! on Wednesday, May 29, before he performed an exclusive set for Kansas City country fans on the Busch Country: One Night Only tour in Missouri. "I just look at it when I was doing construction work, nobody wanted a picture with me. It's a pretty small price tot pay to take a picture or sign an autograph for someone. Social media has made things a bit more crazy because everybody has a camera in their pocket, whereas 10 years ago, that wasn't really the case. I'm glad my fans are showing up. When they stop doing that, then I'll have a problem."

Since the "There Was This Girl" crooner grew his fanbase while playing gigs down south, he wasn't too fazed when people started interacting with him in public. "My journey was probably less tricky because it was so gradual," he shared. "I played shows for 10 years in Northeast Alabama. In Jacksonville, I was kind of somebody, even though nobody else knew who I was. I became more well known when I started playing other venues and traveling a bit. I got a little bit of an idea about fame early on."

While on the road, the songwriter loves to perform his newest songs, however, he enjoys playing the hits as well. "'I Wish Grandpas Never Died' never gets old. Everybody seems to like that one a lot. I like Hell Of A Way To Go. All those songs I wrote about my family or personal things in my life are always fun to play," he said. "I'm always writing, though."

"I don't know if I've written a song the same way twice. Sometimes it's things I see or something I hear about or something somebody says that I actually lived through. It's a kind of a combination of a lot of things," he continued, referring to his songwriting process. "When I write by myself, I think the songs are simple, for lack of a better of a term, and that comes off as maybe relatable."

One of the many benefits that comes along with a thriving career is getting opportunities to partner with amazing brands, such as Busch Light.

Busch Light is making country music feel “Different ‘Round Here," giving devoted country music fans a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for up close and personal access to Green. The artist performed on May 29 in Kansas City, and he is headed to Cincinnati on July 10, but the only way to witness an intimate performance is by winning.

"It's cool to go back and play a club," he said, referring to the May 29 venue, the Tin Roof. "There's one in Birmingham I used to play out when I was starting out. It's cool to go back and play a smaller venue like this. We went from playing stadiums to now I just wrapped my Ain't My Last Rodeo Tour. Also, to partner with Busch Light is a pretty fun deal. I took my dad and a couple of buddies fishing down in Florida this past week, and we had some Busch Lights on the boat. It's pretty hard to beat."

"I remember being in college in Jacksonville, and it was what I could afford from the corner store at the time," he admitted. "And then I got to taste it, and it was great. It's brands like this that align well with my brand and things I actually like and use — that's what I try to align myself with as far as my business and touring go. It makes it easy for me because I don't have to fake anything! It's nice when it's a genuine partnership."

Getting to play for an intimate crowd is also up Green's alley. "As a fan myself, I've always loved to go see somebody that I am a fan of in a small venue. The set list can change, and we might just play what we feel like playing. You feel the energy of the crowd," he added. "I kind of make guidelines for a show like this. You don't know what it's going to be like until you're there, and you have to feel the crowd out."

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To win TWO FREE tickets, all fans have to do is visit Busch.com/onenightonly.