Country music star Riley Green may be experiencing the thrill of sold-out shows and major awards, but he says the true version of his life doesn’t happen on stage — it happens back home in Alabama.

Fresh off a career-high year that included three wins at the CMA Awards, Green admitted that even his biggest professional achievements don’t compare to the quiet rhythm of rural living. Speaking on the “Like a Farmer” podcast, he said the spotlight feels more like work than “real life.”

“I don’t have to remind myself too much,” Green said when asked how he stays grounded. “Having my place back in Alabama is all I need. When I go back there … life just moves slower.”

To Green, that slower pace is what keeps him humble. He contrasted the simplicity of being home with the loud energy of the music industry.

“Keeping in mind that what we do for a living is not reality,” he explained. “People chanting your name before you go on stage is not real life … going and doing late-night television, all that stuff, it’s cool … but it’s building for a brand.”

He added, “Me in real life, I’d rather be on my bulldozer on a farm, or hunting somewhere.”

The Jacksonville, Alabama native also shared that his family helps keep him grounded. He laughed while recalling how his uncle has his own unique way of measuring success.

“When I came home, he’d tell me that the waitress at the local Waffle House had a daughter who was a fan of mine,” Green said. “That was his measure of my success. It didn’t matter that I was on a late-night show the week before, I won three CMAs or whatever. And that’s very humbling.”

Green also talked about the growing fascination — even internationally — with rural American culture and country music. “I’ve seen that period of growth be over a long period of time, but it’s really happened quick in the last few years,” he said. Now he’s performing in places like Europe and Australia where country music hasn’t always been embraced. “I just think people are really loving the down-home country lifestyle that we grew up on.”

Looking back on the year, Green said he was grateful for slow and steady growth rather than overnight fame.

“I think if I would have had any type of success similar to this when I was in my early 20s, it’d have been ugly,” he admitted. Now at 37, he feels more mature and capable of keeping things in perspective. “I was really fortunate that my success was really gradual.”

When asked about his personal highlight of 2025, fans might expect another career milestone. But Green’s answer was much more down-to-earth. After thinking for a moment, he replied, “Deer with my bow in Kansas, maybe?” He added, “I can always go back to a hunt in my mind and there’s nothing else that matters.”

For Green, the perks of fame are fun — but life on the farm is where he feels most himself.