2016 has been a memorable year for Cole Swindell. As the singer prepares to close out the year by finishing up his sold-out Down Home Tour this weekend, he took a moment to reminisce about a few of his accomplishments, including notching his sixth consecutive No.1 single, “Middle of a Memory,” winning the NSAI Songwriter/Artist of the Year, earning platinum certification for his self-titled debut album and celebrating the biggest song of his career, “You Should Be Here.”

“I look back on this year and am just overwhelmed with emotion,” said Cole in a statement. “I knew that music was powerful, but I never ever could have imagined what impact my music could truly have on other people and more importantly in turn what it has done for me. I wrote a song as a way to help myself through the grief of losing my dad. But it quickly became bigger than me as people began writing to me with the most incredible stories about how the song helped them through extraordinary life events. I knew then it wasn’t about me anymore. I hope my fans know they have helped me with every story, every ticket they have bought this year, every call to radio, and just showing up at my shows. ‘You Should Be Here’ has truly changed my life. I am truly truly blessed with a great team around me, great friends, great songwriting buddies, encouraging support from my friends at radio and media and most importantly blessed with the greatest fans in the world. 2016 was pretty amazing and it’s going to be really hard to top . . . but I’m up for the challenge!”

Cole’s Down Home Tour wraps up Dec. 15–17 with dates in Knoxville, Tenn., Greenville, S.C., and Charlotte, N.C., and he tells Nash Country Daily that he will be spending the holidays with family. “I took so much from ‘You Should Be Here’ thinking of people that should be here and now it’s got a whole new meaning,” said Cole. “We still have people that are here and you better take every chance to spend that time with them on Christmas, Thanksgiving and all the holidays. I can’t wait to take a break and get some good food and some good hugs.”

Now that’s how you end a milestone year!