Riley Green is covering Tim McGraw in one of the tracks in his 5-song Midtown Sessions EP, out now. Green performs a cover of McGraw’s “Cowboy in Me,” released in 2001, along with a new version of his recent No. 1 single, “Worst Way,” plus “Jesus Saves,” “Change My Mind,” and “Bartender in Destin.”

“Jesus Saves,” “Change My Mind” and “Worst Way” are all from Green’s latest Don’t Mind If I Do album, out last October. “Jesus Saves” was written solely by Green, inspired by the life he saw once he became a singer.

“I’d never even been on a plane before I signed a record deal,” the Alabama native tells Cowboys & Indians. “Spending time in cities and seeing somebody on the side of the road, we tend to lean towards thinking they’re on drugs or drinking. I started thinking about what somebody could’ve been through, and how that would make you feel more compassionate. That could’ve easily been me if a handful of things didn’t go right.”

Green has been performing McGraw’s “Cowboy In Me” in his shows ever since his career began. Green will soon have too many of his own hits to perform other people’s songs in his live shows. In addition to his chart-topping “You Look Like You Love Me” duet with Ella Langley, Green also recently scored another No. 1 hit on his own, with “Worst Way.”

“I wrote a song years ago and it was called ‘When She Comes Home Tonight,’ and it’s that type of sexy love songs thing, which I don’t tend to do a lot,” Green says on The Kelleigh Bannen Show. “I wrote that song because I was covering ‘Like a Wrecking Ball’ by Eric Church.”

“When I wrote ‘Worst Way’ that was kind of in that vein, and I had a vision of songs that give me that type of feeling over the years. ‘Slow Dancing in a Burning Room’ John Mayer, that vibe,” he continues. “Something about that was so cool to make it country and make it my own. I would’ve never thought that song would be as big as it has been, but it’s had a whole moment.”

Green is by his own admission shocked at how far he has already come in his country music career, which has already far exceeded the biggest dreams he had for himself.

“I really wish I had more goals in country music when I started,” Green tells WYRK. “But I just thought I could make a little bit of money on the weekend. A lot of times, they’d give me a free bar tab. Me and my buddies would go drink for free, play in some little bar or restaurant, or whatever it was. I never thought I’d have a record deal, or songs on the radio or anything like that. So I’ve already accomplished so much more than I ever really dreamed.

“I just kind of am in a place now where I’m just motivated to try to write the best songs that I can,” he continues. “And hopefully I can keep writing songs that people can relate to, and keep coming to shows. Because I really enjoy what I’m getting to do now. Playing all over the country, and all over the world, and getting to see people singing these songs I wrote back to me is something that never gets old.”

Find Midtown Sessions and all of Green’s music and upcoming shows at RileyGreenMusic.com.