Parker McCollum on Golfing With George Strait, Playing CBS’ New Year’s Eve Special (Exclusive)

Parker McCollum has had a hell of a year, and he’s capping it off with a special performance airing tonight on CBS. Like Cody Johnson, McCollum will be shown performing at Whiskey River Saloon in Nashville during the network’s special New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash. But before that broadcast caps off the 31-year-old country music star’s year, we got him to reveal his most memorable moments of 2023

“I had some crazy ones, a sold-out Red Rock show, singing on stage there with Peyton Manning was pretty good. That’s going to be hard to beat,” McCollum told PopCulture.com back in November. “I played nine holes of golf with George Strait a couple weeks ago. That topped it. John Mayer signed my guitar the other night at his show in Austin. Don’t pick up those names I just dropped, but it’s been a terrific year.”

We had to ask how that golf outing with Strait went, and the “Pretty Heart” singer lightheartedly replied, “He whooped our ass. Yeah, he won by a lot.”

As for being a part of one of Nashville’s premiere TV specials, McCollum always loves performing in Music City. Playing in the epicenter of the country music industry gives him a chance to see those who work behind the scenes and stake his claim as one of the genre’s top stars.

“Anytime we get to play in town, you have so many people that work so hard for you here in Nashville day after day. So a lot of times the only chance they get during your entire touring year to see you is when you come through Nashville,” McCollum told us. “So that always adds a special element to it. But, I mean, it’s the country music capital of the world. You want to come in here and put on a good show and put your name on the business and let them know that when you roll through town, it’s the real deal. So I always get a little psyched up to play here.”

He went on to add, “Man, I’m ready to go out there and rock it. Happy 2024, baby!”

How to Watch New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash

New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash will air live via CBS on Sunday, Dec. 31, at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT and will continue through 1:05 a.m. ET/PT as we ring in New Year’s Day. You can watch it on CBS, which is viewable for free for anyone with a digital antenna (which you can purchase at retailers like Amazon and Walmart.) You can also watch CBS through cable providers and digital services like Fubo TV. (Click here for a free trial of Fubo TV.)

Since New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash is a CBS event, it will also stream live via Paramount+. Click here for a free trial of Paramount+, which also gives you to access to major shows like NCIS, FBI, Criminal Minds: Evolution, Survivor, Frasier, SpongeBob SquarePants, Blue Bloods, 1883 and 1923.