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Covington's Drew Parker nominated for Grammy Award
Honoree in 'Best Country Song' category was part of writing team for Luke Combs hit "Doin' This"
Drew Parker
Country musician Drew Parker performs Sept. 24 during the Covington Roots Bicentennial Concert at Legion Field in Covington. (Special | City of Covington)

COVINGTON, Ga. — Newton County's own Drew Parker has been nominated for a 2023 Grammy Award as part of the writing team for a hit song for country music superstar Luke Combs.

Parker was nominated with Combs and Robert Williford in the Best Country Song category for writing the chart-topping song "Doin' This."

"I never dreamed this far," Parker commented on his Facebook page.

The song was released in November 2021 and peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart on May 21, 2022. It was Combs' 14th consecutive No. 1 single on the Country Airplay chart.

Parker, Combs and Williford have some formidable competition for the award. Four other songs were nominated and their writers and singers include country legends Willie Nelson and Rodney Crowell and music superstars Taylor Swift, Miranda Lambert, Chris Stapleton, Maren Morris and Cody Johnson.

A native of the Stewart community in south Newton County, Parker attended Heard-Mixon Elementary and Indian Creek Middle schools before graduating from Alcovy High School in 2010. 

He got his start as a live performer singing at age 3 in front of church crowds, including at Stewart Baptist Church.

Parker later performed Southern Gospel music in churches beginning at age 12 and released a number of CDs as a high school Gospel musician. The Georgia Country and Gospel Music Association awarded him its Male Vocalist and Entertainer of the Year awards in the male new gospel category, as well as CD of the year, in 2008.

Parker said he later changed the kind of music he wanted to perform — country — after being inspired by musicians like the late Keith Whitley.

He moved to Nashville, Tennessee, in 2015 after years performing around Covington and Metro Atlanta and supporting himself part-time as an X-ray technologist.

After signing a publishing deal with RiverHouse/WarnerChappell in 2017, Parker was a co-writer on Combs’ debut platinum record “This One's For You”, Jake Owen’s single “Homemade” and Luke Combs’ “1,2 Many."

His solo releases on the Warner Music Nashville label have included the songs "While You're Gone" which peaked at No. 42 on the Billboard Country Airplay charts in 2021; and “Raised Up Right" and "Little Miss Saturday Night."

Parker is set to headline his “At the End of the Dirt Road” tour beginning Jan. 19 in Athens.

His website is www.drewparkermusic.com.

The 65th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony is scheduled for Feb. 5, 2023, on CBS-TV.