John PayCheck to Release BETTER PLAN Single Ahead of New Album
The full-length album from HorseBite Entertainment follows the single's release later this year.
John PayCheck is set to release BETTER PLAN, the title track from his forthcoming third studio album, on Friday, Aug. 14. The song, arriving ahead of the full album's November release through HorseBite Entertainment, is a fiddle-driven country track that explores themes of self-reflection, resilience and the pursuit of personal growth.
Built around driving fiddle, traditional country instrumentation and an unmistakably honky-tonk heartbeat, 'Better Plan' delivers a song with a clear message that feels especially timely. It embraces the reality that personal growth comes through humility, forgiveness and the willingness to keep moving forward despite life's setbacks.
''This is a song about the quiet struggle to become a better person in a world that is quick to judge and slow to understand,' PayCheck said. 'It follows a man who has made mistakes, carried pain and doesn't claim to have all the answers, but refuses to stop trying. It's not about chasing perfection. It's about choosing humility, hope, forgiveness and the determination to keep searching for a better you with a better plan.'
Written primarily by John PayCheck alongside longtime collaborator Scott Gabbey, Better Plan was recorded at Gnome Studios in Nashville under the direction of acclaimed producer Bill McDermott (George Strait, Tim McGRaw, Brad Paisley). Rooted in country storytelling from his own life stories and those that come from his own creative intuition, the album reflects PayCheck's commitment to honest songwriting, with a hard-earned perspective, and the kind of authenticity that has defined his steadily growing independent career.
'Better Plan' arrives after the May release of PayCheck's breakout outlaw country collaboration with Struggle Jennings on 'Sons Of The Spark,' a song which generated more than 50,000 streams and earned placement on Holler's New Country Songs Spotify playlist.
Better Plan Track List & Songwriters
1. 'Better Plan' (John PayCheck)
2. 'Clover' (John PayCheck, Scott Gabbey)
3. 'Sons Of The Spark' (John PayCheck, Struggle Jennings)
4. 'Point Them North' (John PayCheck)
5. 'Uber To The Opry' (John PayCheck, Scott Gabbey)
6. 'Battles You Never Knew' (John PayCheck)
7. 'Pieces' (John PayCheck)
8. 'Texan One Day' (John PayCheck)
9. 'Stop and Say Hello' (Scott Gabbey)
10. 'All Up To Time' (John PayCheck)
11. 'Daddy Are You Listening' (John PayCheck)
12. 'JD Foster' (John PayCheck)
13. 'Turn the Page' (John PayCheck)
14. 'Shine' (John PayCheck)
2026 Better Plan Tour Dates
AUG 15 – Crow Peak Brewing Company / Spearfish, S.D.
AUG 20 – Bottleneck / Lawrence, Kan.
AUG 21 – The Law Office Pub / Yorkville, Ill.
AUG 23 – Rollie's (w/ Confederate Railroad) / Sauk Rapids, Minn.
AUG 28 – Southern Rhythm Venue & Entertainment / Denham Springs, La.
AUG 31 – WoodSongs @ Scottish Rite Hall / Lexington, Ky.
SEP 11 – The Patriot Public House / Hillsboro, Ohio
SEP 12 – The Farm Party / Brookeville, Ind.
SEP 17 – Bigs Bar / Sioux Falls, S.D.
SEP 18 – Rhythm City Casino Resort / Davenport, Iowa
SEP 19 – Riverside Casino & Golf Resort / Riverside, Iowa
SEP 24 – Potomac Gardens / Coltons Point, Md.
SEP 25 - The Schorr Family Firehouse Stage / Johnson City, N.Y.
SEP 26 – Hub City Vinyl / Hagerstown, Md.
SEP 27 – Howland Cultural Center / Beacon, N.Y.
OCT 03 – Rathskeller Down Back / Charlestown, R.I.
OCT 16 – Brass Hall / Marble Falls, Texas
OCT 17 – Soggy Bottom Saloon / Beaumont, Texas
OCT 19-21 - Nashville Media Dates / Nashville, Tenn.
OCT 31 – Feed & Seed / Fletcher, N.C.
NOV 05 – 11th St. Cowboy Bar / Bandera, Texas
NOV 21 – Princess Theater (w/ Hannah Dasher) / Decatur, Ala.
DEC 12 – The Country Western Music Festival (w/ Hannah Dasher) / Aiken, S.C.
About John PayCheck
John PayCheck is a road-tested traditional country artist building a modern career through shows, songs, and consistency—without chasing trends or shortcuts. Born in Nashville, he got his start the old-school way: as a roadie, learning the business while traveling with his father, country legend and Grand Ole Opry member Johnny PayCheck—then stepping out to forge a path that's uniquely his own.
John's momentum is backed by national press: Forbes profiled him around 'More Days Behind' and his own lane in country music, American Songwriter premiered his 'Honky-Tonk Blackout' music video in an exclusive, and Cowboys & Indians spotlighted 'Foolish Ways' with a C&I Music Video Premiere. His debut single 'Lone Stars' landed on the MusicRow charts, and he's a CMA of Texas Jim & Mona Boles Legacy Award recipient and recognized by the Academy of Western Artists in 2021 for best country album.
His second album earned GRAMMY consideration in 2025, landing in a limited field of 45 releases in its category under consideration for nomination. Co-writing with Erin Enderlin, Struggle Jennings, and longtime collaborator Scott Gabbey, PayCheck recorded 18 new tracks in Nashville with producer Bill McDermott, and in 2026 he'll take the next step on the multi-state Better Plan Tour ahead of an anticipated third album due out November 27, 2026 with single releases throughout the year.
PayCheck described BETTER PLAN as a song about the quiet struggle to become a better person, following a man who has made mistakes and carried pain but continues moving forward. The full album, also titled BETTER PLAN, is scheduled for digital release in November.
