Drake Milligan plays free show at The Snow Lodge on Sunday in Aspen

Drake Milligan delivers classic country with a fresh, youthful energy. The 25-year-old singer-songwriter fills The Snow Lodge’s Jade Room with rich vocals, homegrown storytelling, and an electrifying stage presence on Sunday.

Growing up in Texas, he was surrounded by traditional country music from greats like Merle Haggard, George Jones, Marty Robbin, and George Strait.

“For me, it’s always been (about) the stories. You can kind of get lost in country music. I love that,” he said.

His storytelling ranges from kicking back with a beer on a Friday night to good old-fashioned love — and heartbreak — songs. Meanwhile, his stage presence has been compared to Elvis Presley.

“Elvis was my main (inspiration). Growing up, I always loved classic country, but it wasn’t until I discovered Elvis — that kind of changed my whole world. When I was a kid, I found his music and just became enamored with him and his style entertaining,” he said. “It was the first (time) that I realized that that was what I wanted to do. I wanted to entertain people like he did, so that’s something I definitely bring it to all of my live shows — the influence of how Elvis interacted with his band and interacted with his fans and what he put into performing songs. That’s definitely my main influence as far as playing live.”

He likes to have fun with his band and the audience as he fuses classic country or rock tunes that engage listeners.

Milligan first garnered national attention in 2017 when he auditioned for “American Idol.” However, he decided to withdraw before Hollywood Week, deciding he wasn’t ready for such a large platform. Instead, he moved to Nashville to hone his skills by hanging out with established songwriters.

“I really sought out the veteran songwriters — the kind of guys that have written some of my favorite songs from the ’90s. I wanted to learn directly from the source,” he said.

By the time the opportunity with “America’s Got Talent” came along in 2022, he was ready with his first record, “Dallas/Fort Worth.” He finished the season in third place.

“It was a perfect time for me to do that,” he said.

This year, MusicRow Magazine named him the Next Big Thing. And, his current single, “I Got a Problem,” reached No. 1 on the CountryTown National Airplay Chart.

Now, he’s preparing to cut more songs in Nashville for his second full-length album.

“I feel like there’s already a precedent of what my sound is and what the fans responded to. But it’s also good knowing that I have a fan base that’s going to listen to these songs pretty much no matter what. So it’s a good feeling, and it’s just exciting to deal with some new music,” he said.

Catch his free show, with its fusion of Texas country and Elvis swagger, on Saturday at The Snow Lodge’s Jade Room.