'The Independent Music Show Magazine' July, 01, 2026 | Page 18

Justin Headworth grew up in the small farming town of Ionia, Michigan, where the rhythms of rural life planted the seeds for his country sound. In high school he was in FFA and a bull rider in the Michigan High School Rodeo Association and some IPRA events. He served as an infantryman and was stationed in Schweinfurt, Germany in the 90s, where he

learned to speak German. He now lives in “Free Soil, Mi USA”.

Headworth draws his influences from outlaw legends like

Hank Williams Jr. and Waylon Jennings, channeling their

raw honesty into songs about beer, backroads, and bad

decisions. He picked up the guitar at 18 while serving in

the Army, teaching himself to play and turning military

downtime into his first musical steps.

Now a Texas Country Music Association recording

artist, he’s been releasing music steadily with recent

singles like “Backwoods Boogie,” “Still a Hurricane,”

and “My Michigan Home,” plus tours across his home

state at spots like Best Bear Resort and Murphy’s

Tavern. He plays music with his neighbour and best

friend, Wayne Wright, and plans to tour with him

overseas. In 2026 he took the leap into producing his

own tracks, marking a new chapter of creative control.

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