New Music Video From Brent Cobb - "Come Home Soon"

New Music Video From Brent Cobb - "Ain't Rocked In A While"

New Music Video From Brent Cobb - "Loose Strings"

New Music Video From Brent Cobb - "Black Creek"

New Music Video From Brent Cobb - "Southern Star"

New Music Video From Brent Cobb - "Wild and Blue" (John Anderson Cover)

New Music Video From Brent Cobb - "When It's My Time"

New Music Video From Brent Cobb - "Diggin' Holes"

That Nashville Sound's Best Albums Of 2020 - A Year-End Best Of List

Despite our Covid shutdown for much of the year, the amount of great music that has been released into 2020 has been nothing short of remarkable. We live in an incredible time. The internet, YouTube and a variety of digital platforms give independent artists a more playing field to get their music heard than ever before- and as a result, we have more options at receiving that music than at any time in our history. From all parts of the world, artists are contributing to this incredible umbrella of music we call country music. True, a few stakeholders have a clear stranglehold on what's being heard on country radio, but clearly the tide has shifted and we are seeing time and time again, the ability of cream to rise to the top and artists become wildly successful without the support of the radio dial.

Albums still matter. Patrick McGuire wrote this in ReverbNation and I've read it several times and wanted to share: "Albums still matter because they tell the unique story of who a band is at a specific moment of time that one or two singles just don’t have the ability to do. Imagine if the songs from ... The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band were released one at a time over the course of a year. Yes, the songs would still be incredible, but the meaning of these hugely important albums would be far less impactful. Whether it’s a concept album or not, good albums feature some sort of story or larger narrative whether it’s in the lyrics or instrumentation. Singles can’t tell the stories albums can." The platform of the album continues to be a tapestry that unites songs into a thematic quilt.

A handful of those 2020 country music releases stand out above all others. That's where this list comes in.

Here's a list of our favorite albums over the last few years for comparison:

2005 - Gary Allan - Tough All Over (tie)

           Lee Ann Womack - There’s More Where That Came From

2006 - Johnny Cash - American V: A Hundred Highways

2007 - Alison Krauss & Robert Plant - Raising Sand

2008 - Lee Ann Womack - Call Me Crazy

2009 - Eric Church - Carolina

2010 - Zac Brown Band - You Get What You Give

2011 - Pistol Annies - Hell on Heels

2012 - Marty Stuart - Nashville Volume 1- Tear The Woodpile Down

2013 - Brandy Clark - 12 Stories

2014 - Don Williams - Reflections

2015 - Chris Stapleton - Traveler

2016 - Ryan Beaver - RX

2017 - Jason Eady - Jason Eady

2018 - Ashley McBryde - Girl Goin' Nowhere

2019 - Erin Enderlin - Faulkner County

These are the albums that struck an emotional chord and moved this listener to fall in love with their projects over and over again.

1. Hailey Whitters – The Dream - If the Devil is in the details, then the tell is certainly in the story. In an album that doesn't waste a song, a note or a line, Whitters pines pragmatically about topics like getting ahead in the music business ("Ten Year Town") and waxes poetically on detailed studies of fascinating people. Nowhere is this more the case than in the phenomenal track "Janice at the Hotel Bar" where a lady who's been around the block once or twice (or thrice) passes along her advice to Hailey on a barstool. It's easy to believe that if Janice is a real person- Whitters has taken her advice. She provides an example of living a worthy life without being limited by social conventions or the expectations of others. Whitters has done just that on this incredible album. She's thrown out country radio conventions out along with the baby and the water and created something that's real, authentic, poetic and most of all, interesting. 

2. Ashley McBryde – Never Will - In her sophomore follow-up to our favorite album of 2018, Girl Goin' Nowhere, McBryde picks up right where she left off, producing heartfelt and engaging musical fare. Never Will has a more textured, more produced feel in a good way than her debut album and the tracks offer up a great diversity of radio-friendly songs and songs with depth. "Hang In There Girl" shows off her ability to drive home a passionate lyrical plea and "Velvet Red" might just be a nod to some of the very best of Loretta Lynn. She's like a modern-day Joni Mitchell with lyrical sensibilities of an Emmylou Harris. She's a storyteller in her own right and we're blessed to have her delivering them to us. 

3. Chris Stapleton – Starting Over - One of the hardest things to do in entertainment is to follow-up an amazing performance/project with another one- particularly when that first one is a your solo debut like Traveler was for Stapleton. That's where the story is wrong, however. Stapleton can't suffer from the sophomore (or in this case, a junior) slump because he's a seasoned pro with bands like the Steeldrivers and Brothers Jompson under his belt. This project doesn't transcend Traveler, but it certainly extends that story, delivering emotive fare with that distinctive delivery that is pure Chris Stapleton and no one else. His secret weapon is that powerhouse voice of his that combines country with a bluesy soul that hasn't yet been matched since he hit the scene there in Nashville. He has earned the right to expand his offerings past the traditional acoustic country production and we're all better for it. When he dials up the blues on songs like "Cold," the passion behind those vocals will give you goosebumps. 

4. Stephanie Lambring – Autonomy - If there was a New Artist of the Year Award for That Nashville Sound, Lambring would win it for this incredibly honest and sometimes heartbreaking album that brims with emotion. Tackling heavy and confronting topics head on, the project unrelentingly rips the skin off of the human experience and isn't afraid to showcase the dirty guts rarely put in song. Dealing with topics such as eating disorders, religious controversy, broken family relationships, suicide and the afflictions like Alzheimers, it's emotionally tactile and hurts your heart to listen to it at times. But that's the genius of the album. Instead of just glossing over the topics, Lambring makes you feel the angst through her protagonists and deals with these delicate topics with a brutal honesty with a graceful and poetic hand. 

5. Lori McKenna – The Balladeer - Our favorite songwriter's new album is another highly intelligent and introspective collection told from a powerful and personal place. She has woven a patchwork of life moments- mostly relationship-oriented ones- that are hypnotically autobiographical. McKenna has channeled her own experiences into song and brought with them all of her own hopes and dreams. The songs bathe themselves in insecurities, vulnerabilities and celebrations of life. It results in an emotional history that a listener can actually feel and hear in sound.

6. Brandy Clark – Life Is A Record - Clark writes realistic snapshots from the underbelly of real life in this fantastic collection of tales of cheating, smoking, break-ups- all with a wit that bites the listener and won't let go.  She's aware of the flaws of both herself and her community and celebrates them both in a way that gives both a depth rarely heard from an artist- and even rarely done so with such poetic lyrics. She’s added retro-pop strings and horns to nearly every one of the otherwise folky songs on this release, giving it a new feel and flavor. You don’t have to read up on how she was coming off the end of a 15-year relationship to guess that several of these songs were written in darker place. Bob Marley once said that "One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain." Clark's healing album ends up healing us all. 

7. Brothers Osborne – Skeletons - This album has a groove that grabs you by the lapel and doesn't let go. Ironically, it's going to play incredibly well in the arenas that Brothers Osborne has/will be graduating to, but didn't get the opportunity to because of Covid-19. Skeletons continues Brother Osborne’s long-term partnership with producer Jay Joyce and front to back, it's their best effort following two excellent previous albums. Skeletons is the rallying cry of a band that’s well-and-truly found where they fit in the genre. The energy is high, the melodies strong and John’s guitar playing truly jaw-dropping at every turn. It's proof that up-tempo doesn't have to be formulatic in the genre. 

8. Hill Country/Wilder Blue – Hill Country - Consisting of solo artist and songwriter Zane Williams, songwriter and performer Paul Eason who also plays guitar for Kevin Fowler, Houston drummer Lyndon Hughes, Austin bassist Sean Rodriguez, and multi-instrumentalist Andy Rogers, Hill Country pulled the ultimate switcheroo, renaming the band to The Wilder Blue in October. But prior to that change, they delivered a fantastic Texas record that combined smart lyrics with impeccable musicianship. The group offers impeccable storytelling, as well as often sharing traditional Bluegrass elements.

9. Brent Cobb – Keep ‘Em On They Toes - This album goes back to the more mellow rootsy vibe of Cobb's terrific 2016 album, Shine On Rainy Day. Brent Cobb has released a great record that speaks to a lot of the current conditions of the world without being tied to any particular side one way or the other. It preaches patience and loving your fellow man.  The production leaves space and a sparseness that leaves one little choice but to focus on his lyrics, which are smart, engaging and authentic. 

10. Brett Eldredge – Sunday Drive - Eldredge has always been a bit of a paradox. He's a fan of the classics whether they be the Cubs or Frank Sinatra. His voice lends itself to the slower ballads and while he's had significant success with upbeat radio hits, it always felt a bit like putting a square peg in a round hole. Until this album. Eldredge went all adult on us and delivered a sentimental and incredibly well-written album that we've been waiting for. What’s truly fantastic about this album is how it manages to capture such a broad range of emotions in a painstakingly honest and human way. They convey a deep emotional depth because they come from a place of true introspection and personal experience. It's a personal reveal of the best kind. 

11. Jessi Alexander – Decatur County Red - This new album from the respected Music Row songwriter features eight new songs that blend stories of hell-raising, blue-collar characters like the barn-burner “Country Music Made Me Do It” feat. Randy Houser, with more sultry, fragile numbers like “I Should Probably Go Now”, where Alexander fearlessly wears her heart on her sleeve to create a candid snapshot of two lovers coping with infidelity. The album takes a more personal turn as she dives into her time grinding on Music Row with “Damn Country Music” and “How I’m Going Out”, where she reflects on the loss of her friend and fellow songwriter Andrew Dorff and all other ghosts that live on Music Row. It's short and sweet, but brilliantly told. 

12. John Anderson – Years - Terrific age-appropriate lyrics that draw on a lifetime of living on the highway and the life a musician leads. It's our favorite sentimental album of the year, a great reminder of the brilliant uniqueness of Anderson's voice and music. 

13. Panhandlers – Panhandlers

14. Sarah Jarosz – Hometown

15. Band of Heathens - Stranger

16. Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit – Reunions

17. David Nail – Bootheel EP

18. Tessy Lou Williams – Tessy Lou Williams

19. Josh Turner – Country State of Mind

20. Steeldrivers – Bad For You

21. Aubrie Sellers – Far From Home

22. Mike & The Moonpies – Touch of You

23. Gone West - Canyons

24. Randy Rogers & Wade Bowen – Hold My Beer, Vol. 2

25. Ingrid Andress – Lady Like

26. Cam – The Otherside

27. The Chicks – Gaslighter

28. Willie Nelson – First Rose of Spring

29. Katie Pruitt - Expectations

30. Little Big Town – Nightfall

31. Sturgill Simpson – Cuttin’ Grass Vol. 1 & Vol. 2

32. Carly Pearce – Carly Pearce

33. Pam Tillis – Looking for a Feeling

34. Corb Lund – Agriculture Tragic

Wade Bowen Releases New Musical Project Called The Waiting

Artist: Wade Bowen

Album: The Waiting

Label: Bowen Sounds

Release date: September 3, 2020

Texas troubadour Wade Bowen went to social media yesterday to announce the immediate (and surprise release) of his new EP, The Waiting.  

Says, Bowen on the project, "I've spent the last few months trying to do something good with all this time and uncertainty. I’ve been listening to a lot of music, writing a lot of music, and recording a lot of music, and this EP is the culmination of some of that. Just trying to have some fun. And my band did a great job with it. It features some of my old songs from live albums that had never been recorded in the studio, a cover of my favorite Phil Collins song, and a brand new one I wrote a while back with my buddy Brent Cobb."

Bowen is an Texas Country/Red Dirt singer from Waco, Texas and a favorite of this particular website. Bowen was a member of the band West 84 with friend Matt Miller until 2001 when he left the group to pursue a solo career. Since that time, he has released nine solo albums and three collaborative albums with friend Randy Rogers including the fantastic Hold My Beer, Vol. 2 released earlier this year. 

The Waiting Track listing:

1. Getaway

2. Who I Am

3. Red Headed Woman

4. Mystery of a Woman

5. Fairest Lady

6. I Wish It Would Rain Down

That Nashville Sound Sunday Newsbytes: Tons Of New Album Projects On The Horizon

As the editor of this site, I wanted to pass along to my readers my thanks for your continued support of the site if you're here reading this. Since March, we've had more regular video content and less editorial/written content not out of preference, but out of necessity as the Covid-19 outbreak has given me less time to dedicate to the site than I would normally have liked. The non-music world has pulled me away and demanded my attention. That being said, things on the day-to-day front seem to be (slowly) returning a bit back more to normal and it's my hope that we'll continue to invest in news, reviews and updates that you find of value- and most important, deliver what I hope to be new musical discoveries that you'll carry with you in your life. Thanks for the support.

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~ Platinum-selling, singer-songwriter Jamie O'Neal announced that she will release her first new album since 2014 with the October 2 release of Sometimes via Orchard Records. The announcement coincides with the release of new single "Wreck Me," a "sultry country song showing the physical side of love that you can listen to HERE.  The ACM Award winner shares, "‘Wreck Me’ really comes from that primal place of being in the moment one on one with someone you’re so attracted to that you’re willing to throw all caution to the wind. It’s like a fire that takes over and makes you let down your walls giving into love no matter the cost. That’s an incredibly powerful and passionate emotion to me.”

~ Singer/songwriter Joel Crouse has released a timely new track, “Survivin,’” that you can listen to HERE. Released independently by Crouse’s Hum Records, the song offers fans an early look at what to expect from his forthcoming EP, wasteLAnd, available Friday, August 7. Written and produced by Crouse along with Todd Clark almost two years ago to the day, the song carries even more weight with challenges facing society today as the brooding vocals implore: “We’re just survivin’, we’re just survivin’ / All we’re gonna do is take it day by day / Survivin’.” “When Todd and I wrote this song back in 2018, I had no idea we’d be releasing it during a global pandemic and a global civil rights movement,” shares Crouse. “The world feels especially heavy right now, but I hope these songs help people feel less alone. Every morning I remind myself, ‘all we gotta do is take it day by day.’”

~ Warner Music Nashville recording artist Tucker Beathard is set to release the second installment of his debut double album, King, on August 21.  Beathard’s new LP, driven by personal growth and unthinkable tragedy, rounds out the 20-plus song opus Beathard began with Nobody's Everything and signals that the bold breakout talent has found his voice. A tribute to the middle name of Beathard’s late brother, Clay, sees Beathard steering his own creative ship with co-producer, co-writer and lead guitar and drum credits throughout the 13-song set. “For me music has always been a way to escape,” explains Beathard. “There’s a lot of things people are dealing with internally that they don’t have voices for right now, and I’ve learned that if I write from the heart, if I sing from experience, I can be that voice. Some people can’t pinpoint what they’re feeling, but they can hear a song and be like ‘Damn, that’s it,’ and I hope I can help them get there with this record. These songs mean a lot to me and I feel really ready to share them with the world.” 

~ That Nashville Sound-favorite Erin Enderlin debuted a brand new music video for her Nitty Gritty Dirt Band cover of "Fishin' in the Dark."  “It’s always brought a smile to my face, always been one of my go to feel-good songs. I think we could all use a little more of that right now,” says Enderlin, an Arkansas native who now lives in Nashville. “It’s even more special to me because Jeff Hanna of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band played guitar on the track.”

~ Grammy-nominated songstress Cam has officially announced the release of her highly anticipated sophomore album The Otherside, out October 30 via Triple Tigers/RCA Records. The album was written over the last three years in LA, Nashville, and NYC with collaborators Tyler Johnson (Harry Styles, Sam Smith) and Grammy winner Jeff Bhasker (Kanye West, Bruno Mars), who she calls her fellow “tinkerers.” The album announcement also ties into the news that she is releasing a new single titled “Classic,” which you can listen to HERE. The new single was co-written and produced with Jack Antonoff (Taylor Swift, Lana Del Rey, St Vincent, The Chicks). “Jack and I caught something in the air that day and ran with it,” Cam says. “The track is so much fun. Jangling guitars, claps, it feels like when a group of familiar people get back together over the holidays, clanking around after dinner with too much wine, and amidst the chatter and laughter and closeness they are really telling each other, deep down, just how much they love each other.”

~ Artists/songwriters Michael Logen and Jennifer Hanson have collaborated on and just released a new EP titled Here’s To Hoping.  You can here their collaboration on the song "Travel On" HERE. “This EP was really a passion project for me and a labor of love,” Hanson said. “Everything from the writing to the production, I’m really proud of this body of work." Both Logen and Hanson are successful solo artists and songwriters and credit their songwriting as the inspiration to team up and record together. The first song they wrote together, “You’re Breaking Your Own Heart,” found its way quickly to Kelly Clarkson, who included it on her Grammy-winning album, Stronger. According to Hanson, she and Logen have always had an effortless writing chemistry and because they were also artists, they fell into a natural rhythm when writing, with Logen singing lead and Hanson creating the harmonies.“That sound and feel became a signature part of the songs we would write,” Hanson said. “Over time we had created a handful of songs that we all loved, and decided to release them as an EP. All the songs are written by either myself and Michael, or Michael, Nick Brophy and I, with Nick and I co-producing the project.”

~ 'Whisperin' Bill Anderson, the sole songwriter in history to write and chart country songs in seven consecutive decades, whose storied career includes membership into country music's most prestigious institutions, will release his 73rd album, The Hits Re-Imagined, July 24. The album includes 10 of the Country Music Hall of Famer's most iconic songs he's written and recorded himself, as well as songs of his made famous by George Strait, Brad Paisley, Kenny Chesney and more. For The Hits Re-Imagined, Anderson explains he wanted "to go to both ends of the spectrum," including on the project some of his earliest hits like "City Lights" and "Po' Folks" as well as his more contemporary cuts such as "Whiskey Lullaby." The project was co-produced by Anderson with Thomm Jutz.  You can here his take on his song that Strait took to "Song of the Year" with "Give it Away" HERE. 

~ Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter and musician Brent Cobb will release his new album, Keep ‘Em On They Toes, October 2 on his own label, Ol’ Buddy Records, via Thirty Tigers. Produced by Brad Cook (Waxahatchie, Bon Iver, Hiss Golden Messenger), the album features ten new songs including the title track. The song’s official music video, which was directed by Christian Hansen, is available to view/share HERE. Keep ‘Em On They Toes was created after Cobb moved back to his home state of Georgia after several years between Nashville and Los Angeles—a decision that greatly influenced his songwriting. These ten songs find Cobb with a new reflective mindset, focusing on how he views the world and expressing his own opinions, thoughts and feelings. “To me, listening to this album feels like I’m sitting there with somebody, having a conversation,” Cobb comments. “I would hope that it feels like sitting with an old friend you haven’t seen in a while. There’s nothing like being alone and listening to an album that is quiet and conversational—like those old records by Jerry Lee Lewis, Roger Miller, or Willie Nelson. I hope my music is that way to somebody now.”

~ Parrotheads far and wide will be excited to know Jimmy Buffett has just released the new music video for "Down At The Lah De Dah" from his latest album release: Life On The Flip Side. Recorded in January at Buffett's Shrimp Boat Studio in Key West, Florida, the album was produced by long-time Coral Reefers Michael Utley and Mac McAnally. Buffett assembled his Coral Reefer Band with frequent collaborator Will Kimbrough, Irish singer Paul Brady, along with guest performers Lukas Nelson and Enrique Muricano. The album contains a 64-page insert, which reads like a journal with the looks of a photo album and contains a message from Buffett about releasing an album during a pandemic, “Hopefully, the songs we wrote and recorded will also help folks deal with the fallout… There will be a time and a place when we emerge from these troubled waters and things will change for the better.” The new music video for "Down At The Lah De Dah" features Buffett and the rest of the Coral Reefer Band performing their parts to the song at their homes while in quarantine along with shots of Buffett surfing and spending time at his beach home in Key West and you can watch it HERE. 

~ Capitol Nashville’s Caylee Hammack is offering fans a look into her recently-announced upcoming debut record If It Wasn't For You (August 14 release), releasing her scorching new song “Redhead” that is featuring superstar Reba McEntire available to listen HERE. Co-written by Hammack with Natalie Hemby and Trent Dabbs, the song details the clothes line, tightrope and dare devil high hopes childhood of the brazen “Redhead” with an assist from fellow flame-haired vocalist Reba McEntire. “This song was inspired by an older cousin of mine with fiery red hair,” shared Hammack. “You don’t hear about redheads very much in songs, so I simply wanted to write one for her and all the redheads in my family. Then, Reba came in the studio and transformed this song. She helped me create an anthem for all redheads. Whether you get it naturally or find it in a bottle, this is for the firecrackers!”

~ Superstar vocal group Rascal Flatts will be releasing new music, with their forthcoming How They Remember You EP dropping July 31 via Big Machine Records. A seven-track project, Rascal Flatts’ EP will include six unreleased tracks as well as their recently-released heartfelt rendition of Kenny Rogers’ “Through The Years.” The trio co-produced the tracks throughout the collection. The EP also boasts a notable calibre of songwriters with tracks co-written by Thomas Rhett, Rhett Akins, Josh Osborne, Jesse Frasure, Ashley Gorley and more. “We are so excited about our new EP and single, ‘How They Remember You,’” shared Gary LeVox. “It’s a song about what kind of impact and legacy you want to leave in life. It’s a fantastic song to celebrate 20 years of making music together. It’s an incredible message with a melody to match and we hope the fans love it, and that whatever legacy we all leave behind, it’s beautifully impactful.”

~ Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter, Cassadee Pope, has released the first two tracks; "Let Me Go" and "Built This House," from her upcoming acoustic album, Rise and Shine. You can listen to "Let Me Go" HERE. "It’s a very emotional song for me because it reminds me of a time in my life where I felt like I wasn’t accepted for who I am. I have a few songs on the album that are more reflective of where I’ve been rather than where I am in my life today, and this is definitely one of them. ”Rise and Shine, releasing on August 7th, is considered to be one of Pope's most personal to date. The eight-song collection marks the first time she has had a hand in writing all of the songs and marks the first time she has served as co-producer, as well. Rise and Shine showcases her evolution both personally and as an artist. 

~ Acclaimed singer, songwriter, musician and Sirius/XM DJ Elizabeth Cook will release her anticipated new album, Aftermath, September 11 on Agent Love Records/Thirty Tigers. In advance of the release, the album’s lead single, “Perfect Girls of Pop,” is debuting today. Watch/share the official music video—directed by Curtis Wayne Milliard—HERE. Produced by Butch Walker (Green Day, Weezer, Taylor Swift), Aftermath is an album about survival and resilience. The twelve songs – all written by Cook – address life’s most fundamental and difficult subjects including heartbreak, addiction, death and resurrection. Created following a period of significant loss and pain, Aftermath chronicles Cook’s journey through a personal hell and how she made her way back. Of the album, Cook reflects, “This is the first time that I’ve been completely unchained, really. I wasn’t in an oppressive relationship, I wasn’t trying to meet some sort of label’s expectation, I wasn’t trying to meet some sort of market expectations. And that’s the way I wanna do it, or not at all.

~ Austin’s The Band of Heathens return with Stranger, their most inventive release to date, on September 25.  The follow up to 2017’s critically acclaimed Duende, the band recorded this new effort in Portland OR with producer Tucker Martine (The Decemberists, My Morning Jacket, Modest Mouse). New track “Today is Our Last Tomorrow” is a sardonic take on the divisive nature of media. “I heard it on the news, a version of the truth, was it fact packed or fiction and fable?” begins the song, and the creative video parodies the sentiment with caricatures of world leaders, politicians and media figures.  LISTEN/WATCH HERE. “This song is about our obsession, both as a culture, and within the media, with doom and gloom,” says co-founding member Ed Jurdi.  “If you're watching the network news channels, it seems like the world is literally going to end once or twice a week.  They're constantly fanning the flames of our divisions and shortcomings, with hardly a mention of the daily triumphs and victories.” The album title references the famed existential Albert Camus novel and Robert Heinlein’s sci-fi classic Stranger in a Strange Land, but it also touches on the “strangers” who make up the band’s loyal fan base and who continue to support the band during this period with all touring canceled.  In lieu of live shows, the band has been spending four nights a week live-streaming personal private concerts to fans, and one night a week publicly live-streaming with the whole band “Zooming” in from their respective homes in California, Texas, North Carolina and Tennessee.  Co-founder Gordy Quist notes, “At first it seemed very strange until these walls started coming down and we realized how connected we are by the fabric of music.”

New Music Video From Brent Cobb - "The World Is Ending"

New Music Video From Brent Cobb - "Come Home Soon"

New Music Video From Brent Cobb - You Don't Know How It Feels (Tom Petty Cover)

New Music Video From Brent Cobb - "Ain't A Road Too Long" (Acoustic)

New Music Video From Brent Cobb - "If I Don't See Ya"

Volunteer Jam XX: A Tribute To Charlie Daniels To Feature Sara Evans, Justin Moore, Chris Janson, Travis Tritt, Lee Brice, Alabama, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Many More

Album: Volunteer Jam XX: A Tribute To Charlie Daniels (Live)
Label: Blackbird Productions
Release date: October 12, 2018

Since 1974, Volunteer Jam has brought together some of music’s greatest performers to raise money for a special cause. Now, 43 years later, friends, fans, and an extraordinary lineup of musicians came together for a very special night honoring music legend Charlie Daniels — Volunteer Jam XX held on Wednesday, March 7th, 2018.

Charlie Daniels has collaborated with some of music’s most influential artists – from Elvis Presley to Bob Dylan – and with The Charlie Daniels Band has created such memorable hits as “Long Haired Country Boy,” “The South’s Gonna Do It Again,” “In America,” “The Legend of Wooley Swamp” and of course, the signature “The Devil Went Down to Georgia,” which won a GRAMMY® for Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group. Daniels is also a tireless supporter of the men and women who serve the United States military.

“Charlie has had an enormous impact on American culture through his dedication to supporting our troops, founding the unique southern sound that we know and love, and creating the unforgettable Volunteer Jam legacy,” says Keith Wortman, CEO of Blackbird Presents. “I am honored to be producing this year’s Jam alongside Charlie’s longtime manager, David Corlew.”

“It’s hard to believe that it’s been 43 years since the CDB and some of our friends got together at War Memorial Auditorium for what was supposed to be a live recording session, a one-time happening that took on a life of its own and was to become known worldwide as The Volunteer Jam. I am extremely honored and excited to have this year’s Jam documented by Blackbird Presents. Gonna be a great night at the Volunteer Jam!”
The show raised money for The Journey Home Project, a non-profit Daniels co-founded to support veterans of the U.S. armed forces.

1. Trudy (Live)  by  Blackberry Smoke
2. Brand New Star (Live) by Oak Ridge Boys
3. Sweet Louisiana (Live) by Brent Cobb
4. Evangeline (Live) by Sara Evans
5. Simple Man (Live) by Justin Moore
6. (What This World Needs Is) A Few More Rednecks (Live) by Chris Janson
7. Texas (Live) by The Steep Canyon Rangers
8. My Town (Live) by  Eddie Montgomery
9. The Legend Of Wooley Swamp (Live) by Lee Brice
10. Blue Sky (Live) by Devon Allman & Duane Betts & Chuck Leavell
11. Midnight Rider (Live) by Devon Allman & Duane Betts & Chuck Leavell
12. Sweet Home Alabama (Live) by  Lynyrd Skynyrd
13. Modern Day Bonnie & Clyde (Live) by Travis Tritt
14. It's A Great Day To Be Alive (Live) by Travis Tritt
15. Drinkin My Baby Goodbye (Live) by Chris Young
16. We Had It All One Time (Live) by Ricky Skaggs
17. La Grange (Live) by Billy F Gibbons
18. The South's Gonna Do It Again (Live) by Alabama
19. Mountain Music (Live) by Alabama
20. Tennessee Fiddlin' Man (Live) by Charlie Daniels & The Charlie Daniels Band
21. The Devil Went Down To Georgia (Live) by Charlie Daniels & The Charlie Daniels Band
22. One Way Out (Live) by Steep Canyon Rangers & Devon Allman & Blackberry Smoke & Oak Ridge Boys & Charlie Daniels & The Charlie Daniels Band & Alabama & Duane Betts & Billy F Gibbons 

That Nashville Sound Saturday Newsbytes: Clay Walker, Jason Michael Carroll, Brent Cobb & More

A couple of country music veterans have released new singles, a couple new projects are on the way and some interesting music videos were released... all in your Saturday Newsbytes here at That Nashville Sound today.

Jason Michael Carroll

- Clay Walker has released a new single called "Working On Me" after some time away from pushing radio single releases. You can listen to it HERE.

- Ditto for Jason Michael Carroll. The good guy is back with a good message with his brand new single "I Want You To Know" that you can listen to HERE.

- Michael Ray is following up his self-titled debut album with a new project due out June 1 on Atlantic Records/ Warner Music Nashville called Amos, named after his grandfather who gave him his appreciation of country music.

- Gretchen Peters is releasing a new project with a message on May 18th. Dancing with the Beast puts female characters at the forefront, from teenage girls to old women, and intentionally so. With the 2017 Women's March and #MeToo Movement as bookends to her writing, Peters knew that a feminist perspective would be the critical core of the record. “Those two events just put everything -- as so many things in 2017 -- in really stark relief,” she admits. “You can trace the feminist DNA in my songwriting back to 'Independence Day' and probably before. The thing that 2017 did is just put it front and center. It was very easy to kind of go to sleep for a while and just not think about that stuff because we were lulled into complacency for eight years.”

- And Brent Cobb is back with a fun animated video for his song "Mornin's Gonna Come" that you can watch below.

 

New Music Video From Brent Cobb - "King of Alabama"

That Nashville Sound's Top 100 Songs of 2017 - A Year-End Best Of List



2017 has been another fabulous year of country music. Traditional country, bluegrass, modern country and Americana are all represented well and this list proves that out- we’ve cast a wide net over that definition of roots-oriented music.  Earlier this month, we unveiled our top albums of 2017, but here we tackle our favorite songs. Few are radio singles. But you probably knew that already if you read this site.

Here are the rules by which this list was selected. It had to be released off an album that was released in 2017, is an independent release not on any other project, or is an already-released single off a to-be-released album. If the album came out in 2016 or before, it couldn’t be included- even if it wasn't released as a single until 2017.

Looking back, there's some amazing songs that moved us more than all the others:

2016 - Jack Ingram - "The Sailor and the Sea"
2015-  Chris Stapleton - "Tennessee Whiskey"
2014 - Emily West - "Made for the Radio"
2013 - Kacey Musgraves - "Follow Your Arrow"
2012 - Waylon Jennings - "I Do Believe"
2011 - Ronnie Dunn - "Cost of Livin'"
2010 - Joe Diffie - "Route 5 Box 109"
2009 - Dean Brody - "Cattleman's Gun"
2008 - Jamey Johnson - "In Color"
2007 - Miranda Lambert - "Gunpowder and Lead"

Let us hear what you think. Anything we missed? Without further ado, here is That Nashville Sound’s Top Songs of 2017. Each song is linked so you can hear it for yourself by clicking on the link.

The Very Best:

 
 1. Sunny Sweeney – “Bottle By My Bed” - What stands out as her most astounding musical achievement is the heart-wrenching, emotional powerhouse, honest and autobiographical "Bottle By My Bed." Written about her battle with miscarriage and difficulty conceiving, it easily shows how tragedy can transform a piece of art and give it a substance filled with pain, guilt and regret that oozes from every pore of this song. It makes you ache listening to this song.

          2. Jason Eady – “Waiting to Shine” – There are several songs off his outstanding self-titled album that could take this spot, but this particular track stands out above all others. The ultimate singer-songwriter sings of chasing the ultimate song and it's absolute perfection. Eady has done it again with a project that digs deep with a production that allows that storytelling to breathe.

    3. Drew Kennedy – “When I'll Miss You Most” – My family sat around listening to this track earlier this week and had a fascinating experience. This tale of loss and looking back on yesterday was interpreted by my wife as lost love. I envisioned looking back on an old town you were from. My son had the protagonist looking back at his youth. Kennedy says it's a story extrapolated from a 80-something  widowed man going down his drive to pick up his newspaper thinking about his wife. That just might be the genius of the track- so brilliantly and poetically pieced together that the listener can immerse themselves in it and find their own story.

       4. John Mayer – “In the Blood” – So it wasn’t officially released as a county single, but some life breathed into it by Sirius XM has uncovered this nugget that has more country roots than more singles played on that station. The song debates just how much we actually control our destiny or how much it controls us. It’s deep nature vs nurture stuff.

         5. Liz Rose – “Grocery Money” – She’s written smash hits for the likes of Little Big Town and Taylor Swift, but Rose takes the center stage for the first time this year on her solo debut. And she hits it out of the park on this track about how a Mom turned a weekly shopping trip into a lifetime of special memories for her daughter despite barely making ends meet. This might be the finest image painted in lyrics on any release this year.

  6. Brent Cobb – “Ain't A Road Too Long” – Swampy. Groovy. Soulful. This might have the best guitar riff of anything we've listened to all year long. Cobb's unique vocals are a callback to the best of 1970's southern rock icons like the CDB and Lynyrd Skynyrd. Terrific stuff.

  7. Radney Foster - "Belmont and Sixth" - “For me, the goal of writing is always to touch that one person so much that they wonder how I got a peek into their living room–how I understood exactly what they felt,” says Foster about his process. “More than just rhyming or having a pretty melody, I try to express a part of the human condition that can make someone want to laugh, cry, make love, or all of the above.” One of our favorite tracks of the year comes from this project with “Belmont and Sixth.” It’s a heartbreaking look at the plight of a homeless vet and the reaction he gets (and doesn’t get) from a daily passer-byer.
 

8. Erin Enderlin - "Broken" - There wasn't a more fragile song released this year. Enderlin takes on the power of a generational shadow and how, like a compass, it points you in directions whether you want to go there or not. "Broken family trees" have a tendency to do that. It's a punch to the gut emotionally. And genius.

9. Lee Brice - "Boy" - Brice's stint on Curb Records has been a steady output of songs of content and consequence. "Boy" continues this streak. In this observation on fatherhood, he sends a dedication to his son filled with advice and subtle reminders that it's all been done before with Brice himself. It's a loving tribute that anyone with a child of their own will find common ground with and personalize.

10. Chris Stapleton - "Midnight Train To Memphis" -  Yes, we know this is a cover of his own song with the Steeldrivers. But this is a whole new Stapleton this time around. With a raucous array of gritty guitars backing him up, he lets his vocal rip through this fantastic rocker.

Cream of the Crop (Top 35):

Alan Jackson - "The Older I Get"
Jason Eady – “Where I’ve Been”

Jason Eady – “Not Too Loud”

LANCO – “Greatest Love Story”

Midland – “Drinkin’ Problem”

Love & Theft – “Love Wins”
Scotty McCreery - "Five More Minutes"

Steve Moakler – “Wheels”

Ashley McBryde – “A Little Dive Bar in Dahlonega”

Chris Stapleton – “Second One To Know”
Chris Stapleton - "Tryin' To Untangle My Mind"
Chris Stapleton - "A Simple Song"

Tony Jackson – “The Grand Tour”

Glen Campbell – “Just Like Always”

Jason Isbell – “White Mans’ World”

Jason Isbell – “If We Were Vampires”

Pistol Annies – “Tulsa Time”

Carly Pearce – “Every Little Thing”
Rhonda Vincent & Daryle Singletary - "Golden Ring" and "After the Fire Is Gone"
Hannah Blaylock - "Fences"
Big & Rich - "My Son" (featuring the Issacs)
Drew Kennedy - "House"
Lee Ann Womack - "The Lonely, The Lonesome & The Gone"
Blake Shelton - "I Lived It"
Dillon Carmichael - "Old Songs Like That"

Upper Crust: (Top 70)

Jennifer Paige – “January”

John Baumann – “Old Stone Church”

Saints Eleven (featuring Courtney Patton) – “Let Them Go”

Candi Carpenter – “Burn the Bed”

Aaron Watson – “Run Wild Horses”

Band of Heathens – “All I’m Asking”

Jason Eady – “Black Jesus”

Jason Eady – “Barrabas”

Sunny Sweeney – “Pass the Pain”

The Mavericks – “Damned (If You Do)”

Joey Feek – “See You There”

Trace Adkins – “Watered Down”

Brad Paisley (with John Fogerty) – “Love and War”

Brad Paisley – “Gold All Over The Ground”

Chris Stapleton – “Either Way”

Willie Nelson – “Your Memory Has a Mind of It’s Own”

Tony Jackson – “Old Porch Swing”

Maggie Rose – “Body on Fire”

Jake Worthington – “A Lot of Room To Talk”

Natalie Hemby – “Cairo, IL”

Brantley Gilbert – “Three Feet of Water”

Brett Eldredge – “Somethin’ I’m Good At”
Will Hoge - "Little Bit of Rust"
Erin Enderlin - "Ain't It Just Like A Cowboy"
Joe Nichols - "We All Carry Something"
Brett Eldredge - "Superhero"
Lee Roy Parnell - "Tied Up and Tangled"
Cadillac Three - "Demolition Man"
Emily West - "Symphonies"
Hannah Blaylock - "Should've Been"
Chris Young - "Where I Go When I Drink"
Lee Ann Womack - "Mama Lost Her Smile"
Carly Pearce - "I Need A Ride Home"
Granger Smith - "When The Good Guys Win"
Donna Ulisse - "A Little Past Lonely"

Best of the Rest (Top 100):

John Schneider – “How Do You Stop The Water”

Willie Nelson – “Delete and Fast Forward”

Ray Scott – “Growin’ Old”
Tony Jackson – “They Lived It Up”

Lindi Ortega – “Waiting ‘Round To Die”

Lady Antebellum – “Hurt”

Steve Moakler – “Steel Town”

Lila McCann – “Still ChooseYou”

Little Big Town – “Drivin’ Around”

Marty Stuart – “Air Mail Special”

Marty Stuart – “Wait for the Morning”

Joey Feek – “Southern Girl”

Chris Stapleton – “Broken Halos”

Zac Brown Band – “My Old Man”

Natalie Hemby – “Worn”

Natalie Hemby – “This Town Still Talks About You”
Will Hoge - "The Grand Charade"
Will Hoge - "17"
Parmalee - "Savannah"
Caroline Jones - "Country Girl"
Cadillac Three - "American Slang"
Hannah Blaylock - "Bandit Queen"
Big & Rich - "Freedom Road"
Midland - "Out of Sight"
Jerrod Niemann - "God Made A Woman"
Drew Kennedy - "Cream and Sugar"

Radney Foster - "For You To See The Stars"
Blake Shelton - "The Wave"