Country duo Ryan and Rory are preparing to take the next major step in their career with the announcement of their debut full-length album, The Whole 9 Yards, arriving on 19th February 2027 via BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville. Alongside the announcement, the pair have released new single Rock In The River, offering an emotional preview of the 12-track collection.
Ryan and Rory @ The Long Road Festival 2026
Featuring Ryan Follesé and Rory John Zak, the duo have built their reputation on infectious melodies, powerful harmonies and an energetic live presence. Produced by Kevin Bard and executive produced by John Hamlin, The Whole 9 Yards promises to expand on the qualities that have brought them growing recognition, while exploring more personal territory through songs about love, faith, loss and the everyday experiences that shape life.
The album moves between rowdy, Friday-night anthems and more reflective moments, balancing the celebratory spirit of country music with heartfelt storytelling. Previously released track Beer Wants Me brings a lively combination of harmonica and guitar, while the title track, 9 Yards, explores enduring devotion. Elsewhere, WWJD offers a spiritual reckoning, and Eyes Closed reveals a more deeply personal side of the duo.
For Ryan Follesé, the album represents a collection that brings together the music and experiences that have shaped both artists. “The Whole 9 Yards is the whole dang shebang,” says Follesé. “It’s everything we grew up loving mixed with the music that feels right to us. Songs about love, faith, loss, drinking and everything in between. We wanted to make an album that makes people feel something and, in the same breath, want to shotgun a beer. It’s a soundtrack to all of it.”
Zak sees the record as a reflection of the creative partnership the pair have developed over recent years. “Ryan and I have our own stories to tell, but over the last few years, we’ve been writing one together,” he explains. “This album captures everything we’ve lived, felt and experienced along the way. From start to finish, The Whole 9 Yards is exactly who we are, and we couldn’t be prouder to share it.”
Their new single, Rock In The River, provides one of the album’s most heartfelt moments. Co-written by Follesé, Frank Legeay, Autumn Buysse and Andrew Bloom, the soaring ballad centres on the promise of steadfast love when life becomes difficult. Driving acoustic guitars provide the foundation, gradually joined by a powerful choir as the arrangement builds towards an emotionally charged climax.
Ryan and Rory @ The Long Road Festival 2026
For Follesé, the song emerged from a particularly challenging period, becoming a reminder of the importance of the people who offer support when it is needed most. “Rock In The River is the most personal song on the album for me,” he says. “I was going through a tough time and honestly didn’t even want to write that day. But I started thinking about how blessed I am to have people who lift me up and encourage me to use the gifts I’ve been given. Thank God I showed up.”
Zak highlights the song’s combination of emotional familiarity and carefully constructed musical dynamics, with the acoustic guitars leading the arrangement before the other instruments build around them. “Rock In The River is one of those rare songs that feels familiar from the first listen,” he says. “It’s a ballad, but there’s a real rhythmic drive to it. Kevin Bard helped us give every instrument room to breathe, letting the acoustic guitars lead while everything else builds around them. And that choir? Those moments are money.”
The single follows a run of releases that have demonstrated the breadth of the duo’s sound, from high-energy country anthems to more intimate songwriting. Their self-titled debut EP introduced listeners to their distinctive chemistry, with Pour Decisions establishing their appetite for an exuberant singalong and This Town further building their catalogue. Subsequent fan favourites have included What’s Mine Is Yours, Truck Stop, Together Again featuring Jamey Johnson, Them Boots, Girls Are Pretty, Lawn Chair In The Living Room, Wasn’t Thinkin’ and Beer Wants Me.
Named a SiriusXM Highway Find, Ryan and Rory have continued to build momentum through a growing series of live appearances. Their recent milestones include making their Grand Ole Opry debut and performing at C2C Festival in London, alongside touring with established country artists including Sam Hunt, Brett Young, Jamey Johnson, Jake Owen, John Morgan and Tyler Braden.
Follesé brings considerable songwriting experience to the partnership, having previously fronted Hot Chelle Rae and earned an American Music Award. Alongside Zak’s powerhouse vocals and multi-instrumental talents, the pair combine contemporary country energy with traditional storytelling, creating a sound that embraces both the genre’s party-ready side and its capacity for emotional connection.
With The Whole 9 Yards, the duo are set to bring those contrasting qualities together across a full-length release. From songs made for a night out to reflections on faith, relationships and resilience, the album promises a broader picture of who Ryan and Rory are as artists and collaborators.
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