Inspired by his late father, Ririe native Keagan Park enjoys making a living singing and songwriting. He has a new song \u2014 \u201cBustin\u2019 Buckles\u201d \u2014 due out July 10. Get a preview of the song and video in the player above. | Courtesy Keagan Park <\/p>\n
RIRIE \u2014 When Keagan Park was 11 years old, he lost his father.<\/p>\n
Kirt Park was a well-known country singer and rodeo announcer at Meadow Vue Ranch in Island Park, who also wrote songs and even released a few CDs. <\/p>\n
A few years after his father\u2019s death, Keagan picked up one of Kirt\u2019s guitars as a way to cope with his grief. What began as a source of comfort sparked a passion for music and performing that would shape his future.<\/p>\n
Now, at just 23 years old, Keagan Park has released two singles and has a third set to release on July 10. With the help of the recording studio Peak Creative Pro <\/a> in Idaho Falls, he released his first album 10 years after his father\u2019s death, and his second album is due out in October. He has also earned an endorsement from Teton Guitars.<\/p>\n Park performs at local venues and private events, entertaining audiences with a mix of popular cover songs and his own original music rooted in country, folk and rock.<\/p>\n Park recalls one of his first times on stage, at just 14 years old, when he was invited to sing at Meadow Vue Ranch, where his dad used to perform.<\/p>\n \u201cIsland Park holds a special place in my heart. I grew up following my dad around and watching him set up and play there,\u201d he said. \u201cIt made me feel so close to my dad, playing where he used to play and with his guitar.\u201d<\/p>\n Park went on to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Bakersfield, California \u2014 a location he said further fueled his love of country music.<\/p>\n \u201cBakersfield is a music town,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s where artists like Merle Haggard<\/a> and Buck Owens<\/a> made their names. They\u2019ve had a big influence on my music.\u201d<\/p>\n After returning from his mission, Park married his wife, Hailey. As a newlywed, he started gigging at different places around Idaho Falls, partly for fun and partly out of financial necessity, while studying business analytics in college.<\/p>\n \u201cI did not like school,\u201d he admits. \u201cBut one gig started leading to another. My music was going well, so with the support of my wife, I dropped out to make music full-time.\u201d<\/p>\n What started out at the Idaho Falls Farmers Market turned into playing music festivals and special events, even opening for popular country singer Gary Allan<\/a> at the Shoshone-Bannock Casino. <\/p>\n \u201cStarting at the farmers market is what got the ball rolling,\u201d Park said.<\/p>\n Park\u2019s latest single \u2014 which will be available on popular streaming services including Apple, Spotify and YouTube \u2014 is a rodeo-themed song called \u201cBustin\u2019 Buckles.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI grew up going to rodeos with my family, and it hit me one day to write a rodeo song from the bull\u2019s perspective. And that\u2019s how \u2018Bustin\u2019 Buckles\u2019 came about,\u201d Park said. <\/p>\n The music video for \u201cBustin\u2019 Buckles,\u201d filmed in the tiny town of Bone, Idaho, will be released later.<\/p>\n \u201cThe top priority in my songwriting is to write truth. Country music, at its core, is truth,\u201d Park said. \u201cI hope people can find healing and joy in my music in whatever they\u2019re going through.\u201d<\/p>\n While Park is not opposed to moving to a bigger market like Nashville or Texas, he is happy in east Idaho and a firm believer in \u201cgrowing where you\u2019re at while bringing others up along the way.\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cOur area is a hidden gem when it comes to music, and I don\u2019t want to leave that. There is amazing talent right here in east Idaho,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n RELATED | Local singer\u2019s dream-inspired Juneteenth anthem becomes a professional recording<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n RELATED | Local singer\u2019s Nashville journey leads to bilingual song release that\u2019s gaining traction<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Check out more of Park\u2019s music at Keagan Park Music on YouTube.<\/a><\/p>\n For those interested in booking Park for an event, he can be contacted through his Facebook page<\/a>, and a website is in the works. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n \t<\/span> \t<\/span> \t<\/span> \t=htmlentities(get_the_title())?>%0D%0A%0D%0A=get_permalink()?>%0D%0A%0D%0A=htmlentities(‘For more stories like this one, be sure to visit https:\/\/www.eastidahonews.com\/ for all of the latest news, community events and more.’)?>&subject=Check%20out%20this%20story%20from%20EastIdahoNews” class=”fa-stack jDialog”><\/span> \t<\/span> <\/p>\n![\"Keagan](\"https:\/\/s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/assets.eastidahonews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Gary-Allan.jpg\")
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