PRESS

Chris Merrell is Southern California’s rising country powerhouse, blazing a distinct trail with a sound rooted in ‘90s grit, small-town spirit, and big-stage swagger. With a fiery stage presence and warm, magnetic charm, Merrell is redefining what country looks and sounds like on the West Coast and building the platform to tell the next California country story.
 

Born and raised on a 12-horse ranch in Woodcrest, California, Chris grew up learning how to train horses from his dad, catching crawdads in the creek, and ripping dirt bikes through the orange groves. He snuck his dad’s guitar from a closet in the eighth grade and taught himself how to play, sing, and eventually produce music. What started on that old guitar turned into a full-fledged career. He's spent the last twelve years as a professional music producer mastering everything from hip hop to pop to orchestral before finding his home in country music.
 

Chris planted his flag as a full-time country artist in November 2024, building a locked-in band with traditional instrumentation including pedal steel guitar. His high-energy live shows are powered by real crowd connection and sheer charisma have a mix of honky-tonk heart with California edge. He’s been turning heads with singles like Bad Day to Be a Beer and YZ250, both self-produced, with more music releasing every month.
 

In July 2025, he became the first-ever featured musician in Visit Riverside, his hometown's tourism publication. Now, he’s fast gaining a reputation as the Cali country savant: a self-made songwriter-producer-artist leading the charge for a new generation of West Coast country music.
 

At his core, Chris is a kind-hearted showman who loves God, his wife, and his neighbor—and who knows how to throw one hell of a party. Whether he’s behind the mic or behind the mixing desk, one thing’s certain: Chris Merrell is building something real, and there’s a seat at the table for anyone who wants in.