Tag: Country
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Zach Bryan ‘The Great American Bar Scene’ (2024)
Zach Bryan’s The Great American Bar Scene feels like a natural step forward for a songwriter who’s always worn his heart right on the surface, even as his world has grown from lo-fi Navy barracks recordings to stadium crowds and big-name collaborations. What makes this record stand out is how Bryan widens the frame, folding…
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Roy Orbison ‘In Dreams’ (1963)
One thing I’ve always loved about Roy Orbison is how he completely cut against the grain for traditional country-pop music of the 1960’s. The man didn’t have a publicist nor did he have the traditional arrangements that defined the era. While his peers leaned on swagger and raw energy, Orbison carved out a space defined…
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Diamond Rio ‘Diamond Rio’ (1991)
Diamond Rio may sound like your typical run of the mill 90’s country band (all for good reasons mind you) but there’s a handful of things that set them apart in my opinion. The first is the fact that every single one the band members actually play every single lick on every single one of…
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Tim McGraw ‘Two Lanes Of Freedom’ (2013)
Tim McGraw is definitely on my Mount Rushmore of country artists (you can read more about that here) and while Two Lanes Of Freedom represents some of his more recent pop-oriented work it’s still a killer album. Go flip on “Southern Girl” and listen to that hook and tell me you aren’t singing along. Go…
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Glen Campbell ‘Southern Nights’ (1977)
In many ways Southern Nights served as Glen Campbell’s mainstream follow-up to the success of the impeccable Rhinestone Cowboy, especially since it arrived at the peak of his crossover influence in early 1977. Produced by Campbell alongside Gary Klein (a figure instrumental in broadening country’s reach into mainstream pop) this release blended Campbell’s guitar virtuosity…
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Roy Clark ‘The Lightning Fingers of Roy Clark’ (1963)
The Lightning Fingers of Roy Clark is perhaps one of the more apropos album titles I’ve seen over the past three years. This guy could absolutely shred with the best of them in a way that’s nearly inconceivable, especially for a guitarist operating in country music during the early 60’s. Every single riff he plays…
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Jim Reeves ‘Good ‘N’ Country’ (1963)
There’s nothing like some good old fashioned country music from the 60’s on a weekend morning with the kids, and the velvet baritone of Jim Reeves was the soundtrack of today for me and the kids as we went to Sky Zone together. Reeves’ brand of country is a throwback to a simpler time that…
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Pat Reedy ‘Make It Back Home’ (2024)
Make It Back Home is a good old-fashioned trip of honky tonk nostalgia, with heavenly slide guitars and a rumbling rhythm section clashing with Pat Reedy’s road-weary voice that tells a story in and of itself even if you aren’t paying attention to the lyrics. Solid highway music through and through. Standout Songs: “Make It…
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Bilmuri ‘American Motor Sports’ (2024)
Bilmuri’s American Motor Sports is far from the most interesting conglomeration of music genres I’ve listened to over the past three years (that honor would go to Carmen’s 1973 album Fandangos In Space which blended flamenco music with prog-rock sensibilities) but it’s certainly an album that has stuck with me in a similar fashion. American…
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Faith Hill ‘Faith’ (1998)
I had the opportunity to catch Faith Hill perform live alongside Tim McGraw a few years back during their 2017 Soul2Soul tour. And with all due respect to Tim (whom I absolutely adore) the term “better half” could never have been more appropriate during that show. Faith absolutely crushed every single song she sang that…
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Travis Tritt ‘Down The Road I Go’ (2000)
Travis Tritt is one of those artists that is pretty steady in my Sunday morning rotation. I think the best part about the album cover is that although this was released in 2000 it looks like Tritt hadn’t changed his hairstyle since 1982.
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Flatt & Scruggs ‘Foggy Mountain Jamboree’ (1957)
Earl Scruggs’ banjo playing would forever change the way the instrument was played, elevating it from a rhythmic backup to a main focal point of the bluegrass genre.
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Shenandoah ‘The Road Not Taken’ (1989)
Late 80’s country music revels in storytelling, celebrating everyday life with sincerity, gentle melodies, and harmonious vocals. Shenandoah’s album The Road Not Taken embodies that comforting nostalgia.
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Rosanne Cash ‘Seven Year Ache’ (1981)
Growing up as the daughter of Johnny Cash meant Rosanne Cash was born into country music royalty, but that kind of legacy casts a long shadow especially with the turbulence of her childhood. Johnny separated from Rosanne’s mother Vivian in 1962, remarried amidst countless affairs, had significant substance abuse issues, and faced high-profile legal run-ins…
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Emmylou Harris ‘At the Ryman’ (1992)
I had the distinct pleasure of spending some time in Nashville a month ago on a dual work and personal trip. The city is literally made for me (for all the reasons you can imagine) and one of the highlights was two days spent at the Ryman Theatre. I went on a tour of the…
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The Rolling Stones ‘Beggars Banquet’ (1968)
Beggars Banquet marked a turning point for The Rolling Stones. The band returned to their roots with a raw mix of blues rock and country influences while at the same time introducing unique percussive elements like Latin percussion. These additions added a new rhythmic depth to their sound while still staying true to what made…
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The Blasters ‘American Music’ (1980)
The Blasters are a rare childhood friends become music stars success story– brothers Paul and Dave Alvin formed the band with their childhood friends John Bazz and Bill Bateman in Downey, CA during the spring of 1979. Adding boogie-woogie pianist Gene Taylor into the band, they released their debut album American Music in 1980 that…
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The War and Treaty ‘Plus One’ (2025)
The War and Treaty dropped their newest album yesterday (Plus One as you would expect) and my wife and I had the pleasure of seeing them host a special Valentine’s Day show at the Grand Ole Opry last evening. The bill included The Band Perry, Neon Union, Jon Randall, LoCash and more, but it was…
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The Red Clay Strays ‘Made by These Moments’ (2024)
The Red Clay Strays’ Made by These Moments is a really nice blend of 1960s Americana and modern country rock that hits all the right nostalgic notes. Drawing from the roots of country, rock, and soul, the band weaves stories of love, loss, and resilience into the album that pays homage to a bygone era…
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Whiskey Myers ‘Firewater’ (2011)
As a huge fan of Taylor Sheridan’s storytelling, I’ve always admired the way his shows like Yellowstone and Landman (which I’m watching right now and absolutely loving) weave authentic, salt-of-the-earth country music into their soundtrack. It’s through his shows I discovered Whiskey Myers. They were featured on an episode of Yellowstone as the house band…
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Ashley McBryde ‘Girl Going Nowhere’ (2018)
With a voice as rich as the country storytelling traditions she draws from, Ashley McBryde weaves tales with a nod to the grittier side of life that’s increasingly rare in modern country music. Songs like the poignant title track underline her knack for crafting lyrics that tell a relatable story while still feeling like each…
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Carrie Underwood ‘Blown Away’ (2012)
If you’re a football fan like me you’re going to immediately recognize Carrie Underwood– she’s been the voice of the NFL’s flagship program Sunday Night Football for over a decade now, with her iconic opening line “I’ve been waiting all day for Sunday night” leading viewers into the league’s biggest game of the week. Bursting…
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Dierks Bentley ‘Riser’ (2014)
By the time Riser was released in 2014 Dierks Bentley had come a long way. This dude legitimately spent about a decade of his life during his 20’s grinding to get his big break, spending his free time watching old country performances on video and heading to the local haunts in Nashville for research purposes…
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Lee Greenwood ‘American Patriot’ (1992)
Today is election day in the United States and no matter which side of the political aisle you stand on it sounds like everyone feels like it’s the most important election in the history of human civilization. With that backdrop I’d say it’s probably in your best interest to get out there and vote and…
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Post Malone ‘F-1 Trillion’ (2024)
When I first heard Post Malone was dropping a country album I was absolutely ecstatic. I was obviously familiar with Postie for his massive chart-topping pop singles (my mom and daughter held numerous dance parties together to “Circles” for about three straight weeks when she was about two years old) but had also seen his…
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Ingrid Andress ‘Good Person’ (2022)
If you’re at all plugged into the internet over the past 24 hours you probably saw Ingrid Andress get absolutely roasted for her performance of the National Anthem at last night’s MLB Home Run Derby. The internet can be a pretty cruel place and oftentimes more critical than is actually deserving, but this time they…
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Chris Isaak ‘Heart Shaped World’ (1989)
Chris Isaak’s blend of moody rockabilly drenched in reverb and magic dust is a haunting blend. Heart Shaped World features a sort of expertise for uncanny world-building that is immediately gripping the moment you first hear it. It sounds like a live concert put on by a 50’s rock and roll band taking place in…
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Marty Robbins ‘Gunfighter Ballads & Trail Songs’ (1959)
There’s been a recent resurgence of old Country Western melodies as of late in Indie Rock bands. It’s hard to tell why this is happening– perhaps it’s a desire for something innately human in the early age of Artificial Intelligence, or a reaction to the COVID pandemic that led us to put a greater importance…
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Brooks & Dunn ‘Reboot’ (2019)
The concept of Reboot is beautiful in its simplicity– take one of the most successful country music recording acts in music history (39 Top 10 songs since 1991, 20 of them hitting #1), rearrange 12 of their most classic songs two decades after they were released, and pair them up with the most popular contemporary…
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The Highwaymen ‘Highwayman’ (1985)
Combining the talents of Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and Kris Kristofferson onto a single album would have been unheard of during the 1970’s when all four were in their commercial and artistic heyday. Three out of those four men are proverbial titans of country music (Cash, Nelson, Jennings) known for their brand of…
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The Judds ‘Rockin’ With The Rhythm’ (1985)
The Judds are somewhat of a country music trope– a mother-daughter duo whose saccharine sweet vocal melodies and downhome lyrical content feel right at home on a lazy Saturday afternoon lounging around with the family in the backyard. Their ability to tug on these familial heart strings was purposeful, and led them to achieve an…
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Orville Peck ‘Pony’ (2019)
From the opening note of Orville Peck’s Pony, his respect for traditional country in the vein of Glen Campbell and Merle Haggard, a natural storyteller whose vignettes of love and all the anxiety that can come along with those feelings spill out of his guts in passionate fashion. Peck’s rich baritone soaked in reverb is…
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Kris Kristofferson ‘Kristofferson’ (1970)
Kristofferson is the debut album from famed country outlaw Kris Kristofferson, perhaps best known for his time with The Highwaymen alongside Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, and Waylon Jennings. But well before he became a well-known proponent of alternative country, Kristofferson was but a 34-year old man still looking for his way in life. In between…
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Vince Gill ‘High Lonesome Sound’ (1995)
There exists a concept in Nashville known as the “triple threat”, which simply refers to someone who is well-versed in three specific areas in the musical field. In Nashville that typically applies to guitar playing, singing, and songwriting. It’s a concept that certainly applies to Vince Gill, whose crystal clear vocals, incredible guitar playing, and…
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Dolly Parton ‘Jolene’ (1974)
Dolly Parton is an American institution whose 60-year career in country music has made her one of the best-selling artists in American history. Along with 100 million records sold, countless awards, and worldwide fame that has created its own class of Dolly Parton decor (I’ve been to the White Limozeen in Nashville and it is…
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Trisha Yearwood ‘Trisha Yearwood’ (1991)
Nowadays a lot of people who watch Trisha’s Southern Kitchen on Food Network may be relatively unfamiliar with her music career– the show features her downhome charm walking viewers through relatable and easy-to-execute Southern dishes and does an admirable job of not trying to incessantly cross-market her music career. But damn did Yearwood ever have…
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