During the heyday of bro-country in the 2010s, Jon Pardi carried the torch for hardcore country. He has never attempted to disguise his debt to traditional country, but he's never attempted to be an Americana singer, either. Pardi is firmly within the mainstream of country music and clever enough to offer sly updates to classic sounds, which is why his 2015 album California Sunrise turned him into a star on the strength of its number one country singles, "Head Over Boots" and "Dirt on My Boots." His 2019 follow-up, Heartache Medication, fared nearly as well, and his success spilled into the next decade, continuing with his 2022 album Mr. Saturday Night.
