DEBUT ALBUM: Stories from the Trap
Launches June 13, 2026
Richmond County started as two love songs I wrote for my wife. It grew into a full 16-song album because I fell in love with the music we were making.
I wrote the lyrics and concepts on Stories from the Trap. The four band members are fictional characters I created to bring this world to life. AI helped me produce the songs when I had no access to a studio or instruments — but the heart, soul, and storytelling are 100% human.
Thank you for listening to our story.
— P.H. Dawson
Creator & Creative Director, Richmond County
Richmond County
Meet the Band
Richmond County is more than music — it’s a world built around storytelling, love, and genre-blending Southern sound.The four members you see are fictional characters created as part of this artistic project.
Every lyric and emotional direction comes from P.H. Dawson, the human creator. AI was used as a creative tool to bring these characters and songs to life.
Colton Reed
Lead Vocals & Acoustic Guitar | Age 33
Colton is the heart and primary songwriter of Richmond County. A true small-town romantic raised on backroads, dusty farms, and classic country records. His warm, weathered voice carries the emotional weight of the band’s music. Colton represents the honest, heartfelt storytelling that anchors the band’s country soul.
Malik Carter
Rap Vocals, Percussion & Beats | Age 28
Malik brings the fire, swagger, and hip-hop energy to Richmond County. Raised on the other side of the county tracks, he blends rapid-fire flows with trap influence and Southern grit. Charismatic and bold, Malik pushes the band’s sound into modern territory while staying true to the raw emotion of the South.
Jalen Carter
Bass, Keys & Backing Vocals | Age 27
The younger brother of Malik, Jalen is the musical glue of the group. Quietly brilliant and musically curious, he layers deep, warm basslines and dreamy trip-hop textures that give Richmond County its signature hazy, late-night atmosphere. Jalen bridges the gap between country roots and modern production.
Zara Kane
Fiddle, Mandolin & Harmony Vocals | Age 28
Zara is the ethereal, genre-defying soul of the band. With a mysterious background and a voice that feels both ancient and modern, she weaves haunting fiddle melodies and soulful harmonies throughout the music. Zara represents the beautiful unpredictability when folk, country, and trip-hop collide.
About
Our Story
Human Heart. AI Wings.
I never set out to start a band.
In 2025, I sat down to write a single romantic song for my wife about how we met — a song called “One Day, One Night.” Marriage is not easy and it's little gestures like this that can hopefully provide a big spark. After hearing the finished version, I was hooked. I loved the blend of country storytelling with hip-hop energy and trip-hop atmosphere. So I wrote another one — “Back Where We Belong” — and loved it even more.
What started as two love songs slowly turned into something bigger. I began writing an entire album’s worth of lyrics and concepts, shaping characters, emotions, and stories rooted in the small-town South. I'm proud of writing the lyrics to this album. The soul, the heart, and the direction are completely human.
Because I don’t have access to a recording studio, real instruments, or a band, I turned to MusicHero.ai to bring the songs to life. I spent weeks curating prompts, generating dozens (sometimes 50–100+) versions of each track, editing, arranging, and choosing the versions that felt right. It was a long, imperfect, but incredibly rewarding process.
That’s how Richmond County was born.
The name comes from the many “Richmond Counties” across the South and "Richmond" is an actual town near me that holds a lot of personal value and meaning to me. The music fuses the things I love most: heartfelt country storytelling, booming trap bass, hip-hop flows, and dreamy trip-hop textures. Think late-night porch sessions meets block-party energy.
This project is proof that technology can be a beautiful tool when placed in the hands of someone with a real story to tell.
I’m just a husband, a father, and a music lover who wanted to create something meaningful for the woman I love — and ended up creating an entire world I genuinely enjoy listening to.
If you connect with these songs, that means everything to me. If not, that’s okay too.
Thank you for listening.
— P.H. Dawson
Creator & Creative Director, Richmond County