New Music Video From Chelle Rose- "Reckon With The Devil"

Chelle Rose Unveils Blue Ridge Blood For Summer Release

Artist: Chelle Rose
Album: Blue Ridge Blood
Release date: Summer 2016

After taking more than a decade between her debut Nanahally River album (2000) and her critically acclaimed and Ray Wylie Hubbard-produced Ghost of Browder Holler album (2012), Chelle Rose wanted to waste no time getting back into the studio to keep the momentum going in her music career. Spin Magazine had named Ghostone of the top country album releases as had No Depression, Engine 145, Country California, Twang Nation and several other publications. Google called her one of the very best unsigned artists. Heavy on regional storytelling, the gritty gospel-laden album was triumphed almost-universally for its personal tales of the people that she encountered growing up in the Appalachian hills she calls home. As fate will have it, however, life had other plans. The health that Rose had taken for granted went sideways. A diagnosis of hypothyroidism pulled her from both stage and studio and derailed all of her musical objectives.

That musical muse might have been knocked down, but not out. Rose is back on the road to recovery and is happy to announce that she’ll be headed back down to Austin this spring to record her follow-up album that she hopes to release in summer 2016. 

You can read more about this album in an interview I did with her on Saving Country Music HERE. 

1st pressing of 'Blue Ridge Blood' was delivered to Nashville & LA today. iTunes pre sale TBA soon #BlueRidgeBlood #AppalachianRockNRoll

A photo posted by Chelle Rose (@chellerose31) on Jun 8, 2016 at 5:22pm PDT

Hear It Here- Chelle Rose's New "North Dakota"

Chelle Rose's new "North Dakota" written by Chris Knight.

 

That Nashville Sound's Top 100 (and something) Songs of 2012

2012 was another fabulous year of country music. Traditional country, bluegrass, modern country and Americana were all represented well and this list proves that out.

Here are the rules by which this list was selected. It had to be released off an album that was released in 2012 or is an already-released single off a to-be-released album. If the album came out in 2011 or before, it couldn’t be included- even if it wasn't released as a single until 2012.

Let us hear what you think. Anything we missed? Without further ado, here is That Nashville Sound’s Top 100 (and something) Songs of 2012.

1. Waylon Jennings – “I Do Believe” - Kris Kristofferson, who toured alongside Jennings in the Highwaymen said it best, “The pure beauty of Waylon's voice - unlike any other I ever heard - has the powerful honesty and heart of the man himself. Like his outlaw companions Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash, they broke the mold when they made him. I do believe ‘I Do Believe’ is the only one of these I've heard before, and I could listen to it forever."
2. Darrell Scott- “Someday”- Plaintive songwriting and emotional depth unlike any other tune this year are the hallmarks of this introspective piece of genius. 
3. Jason Eady- “AM Country Heaven”- Eady was rung through the Nashville country radio ringer and has come out the other side better for it. 
4. Jamey Johnson – “Would These Arms Be In Your Way”- Nearly every song on Johnson's dedication album to songwriter Hank Cochran is a duet or collaboration. The best track on the album is the one solo- highlighting the depth of Johnson's emotional delivery all on his own. 
5. Gord Bamford – “Leanin’ On a Lonesome Song”- Bamford's a Canadian for those not in the know. Here, he takes on a song that holds it's roots in great 70's country themes. 
6. Lori McKenna – “Sometimes He Does”- Few songwriters are currently singing about the stinging ups and downs of a relationship as well as McKenna. She shines on revealing the good, the bad and the ugly. 
7. Joe Walsh- “Analog Man”- Eagles member Walsh goes solo on this rocking set of tunes, led by this great track about the loss of our soul as we go digital in music. 
8. Chelle Rose – “Rufus Morgan (Preacher Man)”- Feeling as it was dug out of the Appalachian mountain lore, this wonderful story song is the epitome of Rose's great album- Americana at its very best. 
9. Marty Stuart – “The Lonely Kind”- Most of Stuart's album, which TNS ranked as the best of the year earlier this week, is rocking classic country. But this beautiful slow number really steals the show. 
10. Taylor Swift – “Begin Again”- As she’s done so well across the rest of the album, she pulls back the comforter on the intimacy of a relationship on “Begin Again.” This one is a first date where she exquisitely details out the intricacies of the nervousness that comes with it. She’s unsure she can put her heart out there again after having been burned before, “But on a Wednesday in a café, I watched it begin again.” In just under four minutes, she reveals what insecurities from her past relationship influence this new one, how this encounter shakes (some of) those fears, and how she is effectively putting the past behind her. Her breathless vocal stylings perfectly reflect that apprehensiveness. 
    
11. Ashley Monroe – “Like a Rose”
12. Live Wire – “What Makes You a Man”
13. Chris Stapleton – “Tennessee Whiskey”
14. Corb Lund – “Pour Em’ Kinda Strong”
15. Jason Eady – “Old Guitar and Me”
16. JT Hodges – “Sleepy Little Town”
17. Emily West – “Boys In The Morning”
18. Ray Wylie Hubbard – “Mother’s Blues”
19. Josh Thompson – “Comin’ Around”
20. Lee Brice – “A Woman Like You”
21. Tim O’Brien and Darrell Scott – “House of Gold”
22. Raylene Rankin – “Grim Cathedral”
23. Josh Turner – “Pallbearer”
24. Sam Palladio and Clare Bowen – “If I Didn’t Know Better”
25. Jamey Johnson and Alison Krauss – “Make the World Go Away”
26. Joey+Rory – “When I’m Gone”
27. Jack Ingram – “Right For You”
28. Marty Stuart – “Tear The Woodpile Down”
29. Bobby Bare – “Lookout Mountain”
30. Kacey Musgraves – “Merry Go’ Round”
31. Gary Allan – “Every Storm (Runs Out of Rain)”
32. Brett Eldredge – “One Mississippi”
33. Kellie Pickler – “Mother’s Day”
34. Coyote Grace – “Kansas”
35. Alan Jackson – “She Don’t Get High”
36. The Trishas – “One Down (Set Yourself On Fire)”
37. Corb Lund – “Dig Gravedigger Dig”
38. Iris Dement – “The Night I Learned Not To Pray”
39. Ricky Skaggs – “Nothing Beats A Family”
40. Linda Ortega – “Demons Don’t Get Me Down”
41. Bucky Covington – “A Father’s Love (The Only Way He Knew How)”
42. Gretchen Peters – “Idlewild”
43. Zac Brown Band – “Sweet Annie”
44. Dean Brody – “Leilah”
45. Julie Roberts – “Sweet Dreams”
46. Wade Hayes – “Hope Is Just Ahead”
47. Lindsey Lou and the Flatbellys – “The Power”
48. Kelly Clarkson and Vince Gill – “Don’t Rush”
49. The Time Jumpers – “On the Outskirts of Town”
50. RyLee Madison – “Run”
51. Eden’s Edge – “Liar”
52. Kip Moore – “Crazy One More Time”
53. Shooter Jennings – “Southern Family Anthem”
54. Amy Dalley – “Somebody Said It Rained”
55. Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard – “Horse Called Music”
56. Josh Abbott Band – “I’ll Sing About Mine”
57. Bruce Springsteen – “Wrecking Ball”
58. Lewi Longmire- “Vanport 1948”
59. Deric Ruttan – “Main Street, 1979”
60. Tom Skinner – “All You Can Do”
61. Bobby Bare – “Boll Weivel”
62. Joey+Rory – “A Bible and a Belt”
63. Don Williams and Alison Krauss – “I Just Come Here for the Music”
64. Lionel Richie and Little Big Town – “Deep River Woman”
65. Alan Jackson – “So You Don’t Have To Love Me Anymore”
66. Zac Brown Band – “Lance’s Song”
67. Lee Ann Womack – “Mama’s On A Roll”
68. Shooter Jennings – “Black Dog”
69. Marty Stuart – “Sun Down In Nashville”
70. Dierks Bentley – Home”
71. Carrie Underwood – “Two Black Cadillacs”
72. Love and Theft” – “Town Drunk”
73. Shellee Coley – “Cotton Dress”
74. Taylor Swift – “All Too Well”
75. Billy Ray Cyrus – “Hope Is Just Ahead”
76. Todd Fritsch – “Horses He Can’t Ride Anymore”
77. Emily West – “That’s Why The Boy Gets the Girl in the Movies”
78. Linda Ortega – “Murder of Crows”
79. Keith Urban – “For You”
80. The Grascals – “Still They Call Me Love”
81. Sarah Darling – “Blackbird”
82. Bruce Springsteen – “Death To My Hometown”
83. Emily West – “All My Fault”
84. Kellie Pickler – “The Letter (To Daddy)”
85. Ricky Skaggs and Barry Gibb – “Soldiers Son”
86. Dwight Yoakam – “Waterfall”
87. Elizabeth Cook – “If I Had My Way, I’d Tear This Building Down”
88. Jerry Douglas and Marc Cohn – “Right On Time”
89. Mary Chapin Carpenter – “Chasing What’s Already Gone”
90. Billy Dean – “Seed”
91. Toby Keith – “You Ain’t Alone”
92.  Kristen Kelly- “Ex-Old Man”
93.  Mindy Smith – “Sober”
94.  Julie Roberts – “I’ve Been Looking for Somebody”
95. Corb Lund and Hayes Carll– “Bible On The Dash”
96.  Kenny Chesney – “Sing Em’ Good My Friend”
97. Tim McGraw – “Die By My Own Hand”
98. Neal McCoy – “Real Good Feel Good”
99. Casey James – “Miss Your Fire”
100. Steep Canyon Rangers – “Ungrateful One”
101. Sugar and the Hi-Lows – “See It For Yourself”
102. Ray Wylie Hubbard – “Coricidin Bottle”
103. Randy Thompson – “Old ‘97”
104. Stetson & Cia – “Don’t Hide Your Love”
105. Kip Moore – “Reckless (Still Growing)”
106. Dierks Bentley – “Heart of a Lonely Girl”
107. Don Williams – “She’s a Natural”
108. Mary Chapin Carpenter – “What To Keep and What To Throw Away”
109. Sara Watkins – “be There”
110. Paul Thorn – “What the Hell is Going On?”
111. Don Wiliams – “And So It Goes”
112. Sarah Darling – “Home To Me”
113. Shellee Coley – “Home To You”
114. Jerry Douglas and Alison Krauss and Union Station – “Frozen Fields”
115. Kenny Chesney – “While He Still Knows Who I Am”
116. Kris Kristofferson – “My Father’s Advice”
117. The Bankesters – “First Minnesota”
118. Raylene Rankin – “Heartbroke”
119. The Trishas – “Strangers”
120. Easton Corbin – “A Thing For You”
121. Bucky Covington – “Sail On”
122. Ricky Skaggs – “What You Are Waiting For”
123. Jason Aldean – “Black Tears”
124. Bobby Bare – “The Devil and Billy Markham”
125. Dwight Yoakam’s Classic Covers – “Ring of Fire” and “To Love Somebody”

That Nashville Sound’s Best of 2012… Quarter One

Emily West's New Album Is Tops Thus Far

The first quarter of 2012 has come to an end and while the mainstream artist releases were few and far between, there was some outstanding music across country, bluegrass and Americana genres that’s worthy of sharing.

For the most part, the songs are pulled from albums released either in January, February or March 2012. A handful are singles that have been released during that same window. A few of the songs, and an album or two, are from records that aren’t out quite yet, but that That Nashville Sound has had the privilege of hearing early. The music on this list is terrific. It leans more towards the singer/songwriting side of things- to lyrics that are heavier and have more depth than what’s playing these days on country radio. It’s worth of being in your collection. In the words of Toby Keith, “Go getcha’ some.”

Best Albums of the Year:

1. Emily West – I Hate You, I Love You – It’s probably unusual to have a six song EP at the top of the list of best albums of the year, but this short little album packs more emotion and vocal delivery than anything we’ve heard on any other album in years.
2. Marty Stuart- Nashville Volume 1- Tear The Woodpile Down- Stuart is the flag-bearer for keeping traditional country alive in Nashville. As Little Jimmy Dickens slows downs in his 90’s, Stuart is also becoming the face of the Opry. Here, he delivers a foot-stomping, barn-raising, jam-session collection of great songs that reminds that he’s still at the very top of his game.
3. Kellie Pickler- 100 Proof- Since her last album, Pickler married fellow singer/songwriter Kyle Jacobs. Perhaps, now more content and secure in her own personal life, Pickler has found the strength to stick to her guns and choose tracks and production she felt more represented her as an artist. Settling down doesn't mean settling as an artist. By staying true to her country roots, she's delivered a personal and authentic album that will hopefully be a career-cementer for Pickler.
4. Jason Eady- AM Country Heaven- Jason Eady took Johnny Cash’s advice: he’s been everywhere. He took the Mississippi blues he was born in, applied the Nashville songwriting sensibilities he gained chasing his mainstream country dream, and then applied the grit and perspective he gained from touring the Texas barroom scene for nearly a decade. On this new album, he combines all with a smart and classic perspective on what his perfect mix of country should be.
5. Ray Wylie Hubbard- The Grifter’s Hymnal-  If Ray Wylie Hubbard sounds like he's been aged in the bottom of a whisky barrel, it’s probably because he just may have. His sandpapery voice delivers a raspy series of poetry set to gritty Americana, full of emotion and life lessons.

Honorable Mentions- Lionel Ritchie- Tuskegee, Chelle Rose- The Ghost of Browder Holler and  Shooter Jennings- Family Man

Best Songs of the Year-

1. Joe Walsh- “Analog Man”
2. Darrell Scott – “Someday”
3. Chelle Rose – “Rufus Morgan (Preacher Man)”
4. Kip Moore – “Crazy One More Time”
5. Marty Stuart – “The Lonely Kind”
6. Chris Stapleton – “Tennessee Whiskey”
7. Jason Eady – “Old Guitar and Me”
8. Emily West – “Boys In The Morning”
9. Gretchen Peters – “Idlewild”
10. Josh Thompson – “Comin’ Around”
11. Lee Brice – “A Woman Like You”
12. Kellie Pickler – “Mother’s Day”
13. Shooter Jennings – “Southern Family Anthem”
14. Amy Dalley – “Somebody Said It Rained”
15. Lewi Longmire- “Vanport 1948”
16. Lionel Richie and Little Big Town – “Deep River Woman”
17. Alan Jackson – “So You Don’t Have To Love Me Anymore”
18. Shooter Jennings – “Black Dog”
19. Marty Stuart – “Sun Down In Nashville”
20. Dierks Bentley – Home”
21. Sarah Darling – “Blackbird”
22. Bruce Springsteen – “Death To My Hometown”
23. Emily West – “All My Fault”
24. Kellie Pickler – “The Letter (To Daddy)”
25. Tim McGraw – “Die By My Own Hand”
26. Neal McCoy – “Real Good Feel Good”
27. Casey James – “Miss Your Fire”
28. Steep Canyon Rangers – “Ungrateful One”
29. Sugar and the Hi-Lows – “See It For Yourself”
30. Ray Wylie Hubbard – “Coricidin Bottle”
31. Randy Thompson – “Old ‘97”
32. Stetson & Cia – “Don’t Hide Your Love”
33. Marty Stuart – “Tear The Woodpile Down”
34. Kip Moore – “Reckless (Still Growing)”
35. Dierks Bentley – “Heart of a Lonely Girl”

Now, it's your turn. What's on this list that you disagree with? What has been missed?

Fab Four March- A Quartet of Things TNS Is Digging

Chelle Rose

This is the second installment of a new monthly feature that is going to highlight four new, new to me, or recently rediscovered items that have made my own personal country music ESPN highlight reel over the last month. It follows up last month's inaugural list. Some will be singles, some might be albums and some just might be a live performance or two. It’ll be a little look inside the head of this mad-about-country-music-man.

1. Chelle Rose's Ghost of Browder Holler


Mark your calendar. While this album doesn't officially come out until May 1st, Rose's newest collection of songs is a stunner. It comes over a decade after her last release, Nanahally River, and is produced by Texas legend Ray Wylie Hubbard. The finished result is a hard-driving gritty collection utilizing a piece of her own life path. An example is“Rufus Morgan (Preacher Man)." Part biography and part genealogy, this story of a Rose’s cousin and his influence on “the mountain people” rocks along to extremely personal lyrics set to a gospel-themed chorus led by the The McCrary Sisters. Stay tuned for an interview with the lovely Miss Rose later this week.

2. Sugar and The Hi Lows- "See It For Yourself"

If you were a fan of the Allison Krauss and Robert Plant Americana album Raising Sand, check this one out. Trent Dabbs and Amy Stroup make up the duo Sugar and the Hi Lows and "See It For Yourself" is the first radio release off of the album. S&THL have been touring with Marc Broussard and the new band got a fun little PR push when this video premiered on, of all places, The Huffington Post.

3. Amy Dalley's "Peace Sign" and "Somebody Said It Rained"

Amy Dalley has a brand new March album release called Coming Out of the Pain and there are two terrific gems on the album worth checking out. The first is a fun upbeat kiss-off song called "Peace Sign." Dalley's delivery and Southern Dixie charm provide incredible contrast that she's telling her man that he's put "the F-U in fun." Check out the live version below. The stand-out on the album, however, is the seductive and romantic slow burner that was surely recorded with candles covering a recording studio, "Somebody Said It Rained." A couple vacations together, never leaves the bedroom, and never notices that it rained the whole time. Both are worth adding to your collection.

4. Josh Thompson's "Comin' Around"

“I’m comin’ around, I’m figuring out a lot of things I thought I knew / I never dreamed I’d be seeing things from this point of view / I’m still a little ways from slowing it all the way down / But I’m comin’ around." 


Most country radio listeners remember Josh Thompson from his debut single "Beer on the Table" and the follow-up, "Way Out Here." This, Thompson's first single from his sophomore album, is a major winner. It's self-reflective without being preachy, sentimental without blinders.

“I never been that big a fan of gettin’ up on Sunday morning / And listenin’ to that ol’ preacher talk was always kinda boring / I’m still a little more lost than I am found / But I’m comin’ around,” he sings. It's a great track- one of our favorites of the new year thus far.

Comin' Around - Josh Thompson - Josh Thompson Videos