That Nashville Sound Saturday Newsbytes - New Albums From George Strait, Aaron Lewis, Jack Ingram & More

This week was probably the most profound combination of new album announcements in many moons. Don't let the country music charts fool you, traditional country is alive and well based on all of these forthcoming albums. 

King of Country Music George Strait announces today his brand-new album Honky Tonk Time Machine due out Friday, March 29 on MCA Nashville. Comprised of 12 original titles plus Strait’s version of the Johnny Paycheck classic “Old Violin,” Honky Tonk Time Machine marks an incredible 30th career studio album for Strait. Strait, who produced the album alongside Chuck Ainlay, wrote eight of the 13 tracks including “Sing One with Willie” featuring Willie Nelson that the pair happily debuted at a recent Nashville show marking the first time the two country icons have ever shared the stage.

“I’m really excited to have some new music coming out,” shares Strait. “It’s been about two years since I’ve released a record. It was great writing with Bubba and Dean again and creating such a beautiful song with Bubba and Jeff Hyde. Also, it was a very special thing for me to be able to write and sing one with the legend Willie Nelson. I hope everyone enjoys listening to Honky Tonk Time Machine as much as I enjoyed making it.”

1. “Every Little Honky Tonk Bar” – Written by George Strait, Bubba Strait and Dean Dillon
2. “Two More Wishes” – Written by Jim Lauderdale and Odie Blackmon
3. “Some Nights” – Written by Bubba Strait, Brice Long and Phillip White
4. “God and Country Music” (with Harvey Strait) – Written by Luke Laird, Barry Dean and Lori McKenna
5. “Blue Water” – Written by George Strait, Bubba Strait and Dean Dillon
6. “Sometimes Love” – Written by George Strait, Bubba Strait and Dean Dillon
7. “Código” – Written by George Strait, Bubba Strait and Dean Dillon
8. “Old Violin” – Written by Johnny Paycheck
9. “Take Me Away” – Written by George Strait, Bubba Strait and Dean Dillon
10. “The Weight of the Badge” – Written by George Strait, Bubba Strait and Dean Dillon
11. “Honky Tonk Time Machine” – Written by Bubba Strait, Brice Long and Bart Butler
12. “What Goes Up” – Written by George Strait, Bubba Strait and Jeff Hyde
13. “Sing One with Willie” (featuring Willie Nelson) – Written by George Strait, Willie Nelson, Bubba Strait and Buddy Cannon

According to Rolling Stone, former Stained frontman Aaron Lewis will release his third full-length country album, State I'm In, on April 12 via Big Machine imprint Valory Music. The follow-up to 2016's Sinner was produced by Buddy Cannon and it features 10 tracks, six of which were written or co-written by Lewis. Songwriting collaborators on the disc include Dan Tyminski, Keith Gattis and Waylon Payne. The album's first single, "The Bottom", launched yesterday. The self-proclaimed "Northern Redneck" achieved critical and commercial success with his last album.

"My music is very first person, very autobiographical," said Lewis. "It's from my life experiences that I draw inspiration for my songs."

Tracklist:
1. “The Party’s Over “ | Aaron Lewis
2. “Can’t Take Back” | Aaron Lewis, Ira Dean, Dan Tyminski
3. “Reconsider” | Charlie Brocco, Keith Gattis
4. “It Keeps On Workin’” | Aaron Lewis, Ira Dean, Chris Wallin
5. “State I’m In” | Aaron Lewis
6. “God And Guns” | Aaron Lewis, Bobby Pinson
7. “Love Me” | Aaron Lewis
8. “If I Were the Devil” | Houston Phillips, Trent Tomlinson
9. “Burnt the Sawmill Down” | Jim Elliot, Keith Whitley
10. “The Bottom” | Waylon Payne

Few detail have been released on the upcoming March 29th release from Jack Ingram called Ridin' High... again, but it is on pre-sale on Amazon and i-Tunes.  Having gotten to know Jack a little bit, however, through him being our generous host several years for my Golf & Guitars Music Festival, we can piece together a couple of unique tidbits on the project. First, it is being released on his own Beat-Up Ford Records. Secondly, he's great pals with friend Matthew McConaughey, which make the first song on the album unique as that's his buddies most famous conversational tagline. Track four was made famous by his longtime friend and mentor Guy Clark (and then covered famously by The Highwaymen) and track ten is a dedication to Clark himself. Track 7 is his own version of the Song of the Year that he co-wrote with collaborator Miranda Lambert. And lastly, track 13 was the name of Kris Kristofferson's fourth album and a track "owed" to John Prine.

Jack has always forged his own path with his music, letting his muse guide his way. Even when he was on the Big Machine record label out of Nashville, his projects had heart and substance- covered in his own fingerprints. Since going the independent route again, that muse has become far more personal and introspective and I for one, can't wait to hear the new project.

Tracklist:
1. Alright Alright Alright
2. Don't It Make You Wanna Dance
3. Staying Outta Jail
4. Desperados Waiting for a Train
5. Where There's a Willie
6. Gotta Get Drunk
7. Tin Man
8. Down the Road Tonight
9. Never Ending Song of Love
10. Sailor & The Sea
11. Everybody Wants to Be Somebody
12. Shooting Stars
13. Jesus Was a Capricorn

And last but not least, it looks like William Michael Morgan has (unfortunately) been dropped by the Warner Nashville music label. His debut single "I Met a Girl", reached number two on the Country Airplay chart and number eight on the Hot Country Songs chart in October 2016. His debut studio album Vinyl as released in September 2016. That project was outstanding as has been the many samples that he has been teasing on YouTube. Hopefully, a label will scoop him up soon.