Craig Whitaker releases "Where We Grew Up" today. He plays the sold-out Barefoot Country Music Festival June 20. The rest of the story is why it matters.
Craig Whitaker releases his second EP today, produced by Jim Riley of Rascal Flatts. He performs at the sold-out Barefoot Country Music Festival on June 20. King's Road Brewing Company built a craft beer around a song on the record — it launched into 11 South Jersey venues ahead of Barefoot and the first kegs sold out in one day.
In 2003 Whitaker became the second unsigned act ever to play the Philadelphia Spectrum, opening for Matchbox Twenty and Sugar Ray. In 2008 a music supervisor for ER's acclaimed Blackout episode reached out to Whitaker — then unsigned — to license his song "One By One." The episode featured music alongside Gloria Gaynor, Queen, David Bowie, and The Ramones. Life had other plans — more than once. In 2010, the birth of his son changed everything. A few years later, Whitaker stepped back from music to be present as a single father, raising his kids while the songs waited. By 2019 he was back, recording his debut EP with Jim Riley and building real industry momentum. Then March 2020 happened.
His kids are raised now. And they want to see their dad make up for lost time.
"Where We Grew Up" is his second EP and third project with Jim Riley, back in the producer and drummer role. The record features Jenee Fleenor, five-time CMA Musician of the Year, on fiddle. Travis Toy, a 16-year Rascal Flatts veteran now touring with Luke Bryan, on banjo and pedal steel. Steve King and Mike Hicks on keys. Jon Trebing and Andy Wood round out a Nashville session team that brings the full weight of Music Row to a distinctly South Jersey story. Jim Riley's daughter contributes background vocals on one track.
One of the songs, "Better Than I Remember," was co-written with Nashville songwriter and artist Jason Blaine — and inspired King's Road Brewing Company to build a craft beer around it.
Gary LeVox, lead vocalist of Rascal Flatts, told Whitaker backstage to have Riley connect them.
The Barefoot show carries personal weight that most performances don't. Whitaker's great-grandfather immigrated from Italy in 1922 and settled in Wildwood, building his family home one block from where Whitaker will perform. It is a homecoming a hundred years in the making.
Whitaker founded Blue Claw Country — a vertically integrated country music company rooted in South Jersey, built around music, live entertainment, brand partnerships, and regional identity — because according to him, "music and belonging are inseparable." The Northeast country story has never had a home. He is building one.
"Where We Grew Up" is available now on all major streaming platforms.
Blue Claw Country is a South Jersey country music company built around Salt & Pine — the Jersey Shore, the Pine Barrens, and the communities that hold both together. Music. Live entertainment. Brand partnerships. Regional identity. Founded by Craig Whitaker, a lifelong New Jerseyan who believes the Northeast country story has never had a home — until now.
