A $1 million offer is difficult for anyone to turn down, but for Parker McCollum, maintaining his integrity was more important than money.
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On the May 4 episode of The Zach Sang Show, the "Hell of a Year" singer shared why he decided to walk away from a huge payday and why it was one of the best decisions he ever made.
A Bidding War Began for Parker McCollum
Back in 2017, McCollum explained that he made a "verbal commitment" to Universal Music Group Nashville, but "hadn't signed any paperwork."
He explained, "I didn't know anything about record labels. I didn't know who was better. I didn't know anything."
But while McCollum was performing at the Texas Club in Louisiana, he got a call from one of the higher-ups at another major label.
"He says, 'Hey, I'll wire you $1 million dollars right now just to decommit verbally from Universal. Not to sign with them, just to decommit," the singer claimed.
McCollum didn't have that kind of money. He wasn't sure what he should do, so he called his father for advice.
McCollum's Dad Gave Some Solid Advice
When the singer called his dad, he caught him at a bad time.
"My dad, he's like, 'I'm putting. I can't talk,' right? He's like, 'Figure it out. You're grown,'" he shared.
That non-advice was "probably the best thing he could have said," according to McCollum.
Later, his dad called back, at first thinking his son had been joking. But what he initially said continued to resonate with the singer.
"I remember thinking, I'm like, man, the last thing I want to do is go to Nashville and immediately let everybody know I can be bought," said McCollum. "I was like, if they can buy you, you know, how you going to have any respect? How you going to have any dignity, integrity?"
McCollum kept his deal with Universal. The executive told him that he was making "the biggest mistake you'll ever make in your career, and you will be back."
McCollum added, "He was 100% wrong."
You can watch the entire episode of The Zach Sang Show with McCollum below.
