Country Music's Craziest Tour Riders

Aug 7, 2024

2 min read

Artists have been notorious for requesting specific items backstage while they are on the road. They list these items on a “tour rider” for the venue to provide backstage. Some of these artists might surprise you with their must-have items!

Carrie Underwood and Shania Twain go for the healthy route on their riders. Underwood requests non dairy dips and a vegetable tray. Twain is more specific with her rider as she is an ovo-lacto vegetarian (No meat/fish/poultry). She requests an average of six options for lunch and dinner because one “Don’t Impress (her) Much”

Other artists, such as Dolly Parton and Tim McGraw, reach for their sweet-tooth items for pre-show. Parton stumbles out of bed and into her green room for her favorite snack… potato chips! She also enjoys candy bars. Rumor has it that McGraw’s hit song “I Like It, I Love It” was written about his love of peanut M&M’s. He pairs them with a Mexican Coca Cola before he steps out onstage.

Some artists are minimal with their tour riders. Kelsea Ballerini is rarely seen without her Chomps beef sticks on hand. Megan Moroney’s love of ranch flavor sunflower seeds has gotten her sick on many tour dates, so she saves them for a last show treat! Lainey Wilson has been told that she should be pickier, since she asks for tea, whiskey, and lemon cough drops on her rider. We think “Watermelon Moonshine” should be added to Lainey’s updated rider.

Kelsea Ballerini backstage at the 2022 Country Music Association Awards.

Photo: John Shearer/Getty Images for CMA

Tour riders have been used by artists for decades, spanning from basic items to personal assistants and limousines. The Highwaymen (Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson, and Willie Nelson) each had their own list of items backstage. Some notable items were caffeine free Diet Coke, hot tea, fruit, classic Coca Cola, 7up on ice, and coffee with skim milk.

No matter how big or small these riders may be, each of these artists put great effort into their performances on tour. You can’t blame them for their snack choices. Even nationally touring artists have sugar cravings!