Always willing to stretch country’s modern and elastic boundaries, Jerrod Niemann hit the ground running as an artist with a sound that stood out and a compelling visual presence. It didn’t hurt that he could count on the support of and synergy with friends like Randy Houser and Jamey Johnson, who both made cameos in the video for “Lover, Lover.” There followed a string of hits including “What Do You Want,” “One More Drinkin’ Song,” the chart-topping “Drink to That All Night,” and “A Little More Love” with his friend and sometimes touring partner Lee Brice.

He has always been one of a kind. Since the day his chart-topping major-label debut, “Lover, Lover,” announced him as a truly original voice, he has been that guy—a little edgier, a little cooler, maybe just a bit off-center in the best possible way. Ten years in, he is making some of the most compelling music of his career.