New Music Video From Don Williams - "Leaving Louisiana In The Broad Daylight"

New Unearthed Don Williams Recordings To Be Released As Album In May

A new chapter in the legacy of country music’s “Gentle Giant,” Don Williams, begins today with the announcement of Epilogue: The Cellar Tapes, a collection of previously unheard tracks arriving May 29 via Craft Recordings. “Fans from Abilene to Zimbabwe (really) will delight in discovering these never-before-released gems from the incomparable Don Williams,” writes Ed Morris in the album’s liner notes. 

The multi-track tapes were discovered in the cellar of the Williams family’s rural Tennessee home and later brought to Don’s longtime co-producer, Garth Fundis, who collaborated with him for more than four decades. The recordings date from 1979 to 1984, a defining period in Williams’ career that produced enduring classics including “Good Ole Boys Like Me,” “It Must Be Love,” “I Believe in You,” “Lord, I Hope This Day Is Good,” and “Love Is on a Roll."

Epilogue: The Cellar Tapes arrives on vinyl, CD, and digital formats and is available to pre-order and pre-save now. 

In addition to standard black vinyl, the album will also be available in several exclusive color variants, including a “Red Velvet” pressing available exclusively at Barnes & Noble, a “Parchment Smoke” pressing exclusive to Cracker Barrel, and a “Mahogany Smoke” edition available via CraftRecordings.com.

Tim Williams, son of Don Williams and a talented musician in his own right, is Executive Producer on the album. “These songs Dad recorded are—as music can be—a time machine,” he observes. “Obviously, I grew up always hearing what he was doing. He’d bring home three to four songs at a time from the album he was working on at different stages. In working on this project, we tried above all to stay true to how Dad approached production, made much easier for me with Garth’s involvement, and then just to stay out of the way of the music.”

“Don liked every one of these songs,” Fundis said. “I remember recording all of them… He was very particular about the songs he recorded and the sound we created for each of them. But, if a song didn’t make in to an album, it wasn’t necessarily because he didn’t like it. Moreover, it was because of how songs fit together to create an album. I think he’d be thrilled to know that people could hear him sing these new songs they didn’t know existed. I’m certain Don would be proud of this album."

TNS Music Video History - Don Williams - "Imagine That" (ft. Keith Urban)

New Posthumous Music From Don Williams Forthcoming

Despite Country Music Hall of Famer Don Williams passing away in September of 2017 at the age of 78, fans of the superstar may not have to wait long to hear previously unheard music from the legend.

Fusion Music has partnered with Don Williams' long-time manager, Robert Pratt, to consult on business development for the Country Music Hall of Fame member's estate. And located in the press release on this new business deal - almost in a throwaway line- is a hint that new projects are on the horizon to delight fans:

"Details on a live music experience and new music are expected to be released soon."

With that simple line, excitement builds that there could be more to the Don Williams musical legacy. Are there recordings out there that didn't make albums?  Is there an album out there that didn't see a release?  

"Don Williams' iconic catalog of music continues to react with fans around the world," says Daniel Miller, Fusion Music Managing Partner. "His music has spanned more than five decades, and we're honored to support his legacy."

Williams was a dominating country hit maker throughout the 70s, 80s and 90s, and continues to have one of the most-streamed catalogs from that era. Often referred to as the Gentle Giant because of his commanding presence and laid-back demeanor, Williams' distinctive voice and songwriting style cut across all music boundaries with hits including "We Should Be Together," "I'm Just A Country Boy," "Amanda," "It Must Be Love" and "Tulsa Time," making him one of the most-played artists on country radio. Williams recorded 35 albums, with more than 50 Top 40 Country and 17 chart-topping hits, including, "I Believe In You," which also ranked Top 30 on the Hot 100 all-genre charts. His songs have been recorded by country superstars Alan Jackson and Lee Ann Womack, as well as, rock legends Pete Townshend and Eric Clapton.

Williams was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2010 and was a member of the Grand Ole Opry. In addition to his recording career, he appeared in the Burt Reynolds classic films W. W. and the Dixie Dancekings and Smokey & The Bandit II and appeared as a guest performer on The Dukes of Hazzard. While his legendary status in the U.S. is well-documented, Williams is a beloved international star, with a massive fan base spanning across the globe.

New Music Video From Little Big Town - Don Williams' "Lord I Hope This Day Is Good" (Live at the Opry)

Eric Church Collaborator & Bandmate Jeff Hyde To Release Own Album, Norman Rockwell World

Artist: Jeff Hyde
Album: Norman Rockwell World
Label: Jeff Hyde Records
Release date: February 23, 2018

Already a Grammy-nominated songwriter and longtime member of Eric Church's touring band, Jeff Hyde makes his solo debut with Norman Rockwell World. Produced by fellow songwriter Ryan Tyndell, the 10-track album arrives February 23.

 

Over the past dozen years, Hyde has written many country hits for other artists, including Eric Church's chart-topping singles "Springsteen," "Record Year" and“Round Here Buzz.” A long line of artists including Alan Jackson, George Strait, Bobby Bare, Luke Bryan, Charlie Worsham, Nikki Lane and Becky Buller have also put their own stamp on his songs, but still much of his material remains unused. It’s a natural result of Hyde being one of Nashville's busiest songwriters, in an industry where more songs are written than are ever heard.

 

Norman Rockwell World rounds up 10 of those untouched compositions, including songs written alongside fellow hitmakers Michael Heeney, Clint Daniels, and Casey Beathard.

 

"When you write for a publishing company for years, you eventually wind up with songs you're proud of that are just sitting on a shelf," says Hyde, who landed his first publishing deal in 2005. "That was part of the reason for doing this record. We wanted to take some of those best songs and give them a life."

 

A native of Marshall, Texas, Hyde moved to Nashville in 2001. He was raised on the sounds of artists such as Keith Whitley, Tom T. Hall, and The Statler Brothers — chart-topping country singers who wrote many of their own hits. "You could turn their records around and look at the back to see who wrote the songs," he remembers, "and the singers were also the writers. I always knew songwriting was the core thing I wanted to do in the music business. I wanted to start with that foundation, anything further would be a bonus.”

 

Per the press release:

Norman Rockwell World roots itself in Hyde's songwriting chops, and also introduces him as a talented vocalist who delivers a song with the same finesse he uses to spin a lyric. He sings each song in a welcomingly strong voice, one that may be familiar to Eric Church's fans who have seen Hyde play acoustic instruments and sing harmonies in Church's band for more than a decade. He beefs up his sound with everything from banjo riffs to mandolin solos. The music itself nods to his longtime influences — including 1980s trailblazers like Don Williams, Whitley, and Vern Gosdin — without losing its modern appeal.

With his solo debut, Hyde plants one foot in the classic twang of his favorite writers, then points the other toward more progressive sounds. This is the sound of a country veteran getting his overdue share of the spotlight, stepping up to the mic for a batch of songs that are as warm and slyly nostalgic as Norman Rockwell's artwork itself.

 

The Day The Music Died: To Those Country Music Lost in 2017

Glen Campbell

K.F. Raizor, author of the website Raizor's Edge and the book We Can't Sing and We Ain't Funny: The World of Homer and Jethro is our guest writer today on That Nashville Sound. She's ever so gracious to provide wonderful tributes to honor those to whom the music we treasure just wouldn't be the same without. Thank you, K.F.

Here are the people from the world of country and bluegrass who sang their final song in 2017.

Tommy Allsup (January 11, complications from hernia surgery, age 85): album producer, western swing performer, and session guitarist who lost his seat on the ill-fated Buddy Holly plane in February 1959.

Chuck Berry (March 17, heart attack, age 90): rock and roll's daddy had a major impact on country music as well, with enough Chuck Berry-penned tunes becoming country hits to warrant his induction into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Billy Joe Burnette (December 29, 2016, heart attack, age 76): rockabilly singer-songwriter who wrote the Red Sovine cross-over tear-jerker "Teddy Bear."

Dr. Benjamin H. Caldwell Jr. (May 8, long illness, age 82): a Nashville physician who did country music a gigantic favor in the 1970s by spearheading a movement to save the Ryman Auditorium from demolition.

Glen Campbell (August 8, Alzheimer's disease, age 81): session guitarist and one-time Beach Boy who became a massive success in country and pop, earning his way into the Country Music Hall of Fame. His poignant farewell albums and public battle with Alzheimer's put a familiar face on the dreaded disease.

Steve Chapman (July 29, unknown cause, age 74): guitarist who worked with Ernest Tubb, Bill Anderson, and Mandy Barnett.

Dave Evans (June 26, long illness, age 66): bluegrass performer who worked with Larry Sparks and had his own band, Dave Evans & the River Bend.

Bob Forshee (May 11, unknown cause, age 80): country music songwriter who penned Darrell McCall's early hit "A Stranger Was Here" as well as songs recorded by Jimmy C. Newman, Jan Howard, and others.

Troy Gentry (September 8, helicopter crash, age 50): half of the 90s/00s superstar duo Montgomery Gentry.

Wendell Goodman (May 21, unknown cause, age 81): husband and manager of rockabilly and country legend Wanda Jackson.

Hairl Hensley (December 31, illness, unknown age): Country Music DJ Hall of Fame member who was the voice of the Grand Ole Opry and early-morning bluegrass music on WSM for decades.

Alan Jabbour (January 13, cancer, age 74): old-time fiddler who was the founding director of the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress.

Blake Johnson (June 4, heart attack, age 33): bluegrass musician who worked with Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out, James King, and others.

Michael Johnson (July 25, long illness, age 72): singer and songwriter who had country ("Give Me Wings," "The Moon Is Still Over Her Shoulder") and pop ("This Night Won't Last Forever," "Bluer Than Blue") hits.

Danny Lee Jones (February 3, cancer, age 77): bluegrass musician who was a member of Bluegrass Alliance and the Bluegrass Generation, and worked with the Goins Brothers and Bill Monroe.

Rhubarb Jones (April 2, heart attack, age 65): Country Music DJ Hall of Fame member who also announced for the WWF.

Pete Kuykendall (August 24, long illness, age 79): bluegrass songwriter (under the pseudonym "Pete Roberts"), performer (as part of the Country Gentlemen), and promoter. His love of bluegrass led to the founding of the premiere magazine for the genre, Bluegrass Unlimited.

Sam Lovullo (January 3, natural causes, age 88): the producer of the long-running country comedy variety series Hee Haw.

Geoff Mack (July 21, natural causes, age 94): Australian country singer/songwriter whose best-known song was "Americanized" into the huge Hank Snow hit "I've Been Everywhere."

Don Markham (February 24, long illness, age 85): "Here comes Don!" was Merle Haggard's typical introduction to the saxophonist who played with Haggard's band the Strangers after leaving Johnny Paycheck's band.

Grover "G.C." McCoury (February 27, stroke, age 87): the older brother of Del McCoury had his own regional bluegrass act, the McCoury Family.

Billy Mize (November 1, long illness, age 88): Bakersfield Sound singer and songwriter, best-known for writing the Charlie Walker hit "Who Will Buy the Wine."

Leon Rhodes (December 10, illness, age 85): one of the great guitarists in country music who made a huge mark on the sound of Ernest Tubb (remember Tubb's call of "and Leon!" in "Waltz Across Texas").

Kayton Roberts (July 13, stroke, age 83): Steel Guitar Hall of Fame member who played for years with Hank Snow.

Curly Seckler (December 27, natural causes, age 98): Bluegrass Hall of Fame member who was part of Charlie Monroe's Kentucky Partners, Flatt & Scruggs' Foggy Mountain Boys and member of Flatt's "Nashville Grass."

Mark Selby (September 18, cancer, age 56): session musician (Kenny Rogers, Wynonna), singer, and songwriter (including the Grammy-winning "There's Your Trouble" by the Dixie Chicks).

Ben Speers (April 7, Alzheimer's disease, age 86): member of the legendary southern gospel group the Speers Family.

Billy Stewart (March 24, illness, age 85): the brother of Redd Stewart who served as fiddler for Little Jimmy Dickens, Lonzo & Oscar, and others on the Opry in the 1950s.

Tammy Sullivan (April 21, cancer, age 52): part of the bluegrass gospel band the Sullivan Family.

Mel Tillis (November 19, respiratory failure, age 85): Hall of Fame singer and songwriter with a career that spanned six decades.

Greg Trooper (January 15, pancreatic cancer, age 61): Americana singer/songwriter who had his songs covered by acts such as Steve Earle and Vince Gill.

Jo Walker-Meador (August 16, stroke, age 93): the longest-serving executive director of the Country Music Foundation, she was responsible for the expansion of the CMA, the Hall of Fame, and country music as an industry.

Don Warden (March 11, natural causes, age 87): Steel Guitar Hall of Fame member who played in Porter Wagoner's band and became Dolly Parton's manager beginning in 1967.

Don Williams (September 8, short illness, age 78): Country Music Hall of Fame singer and songwriter known as "the Gentle Giant" for his quiet baritone voice that delivered over 40 years' worth of love songs to the world.

Norro Wilson (June 8, illness, age 79): Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member who wrote songs ranging from "The Grand Tour" to "A Very Special Love Song."

Bob Wootton (April 9, unknown cause, age 75): longtime guitarist for Johnny Cash's "Tennessee Three" who joined the band after Luther Perkins' death.

Gil Wright (April 30, unknown cause, age 87): member of the legendary background vocal group the Anita Kerr Singers.

Joe Wright (January 3, unknown cause, age 79): the original lead guitarist for Marty Robbins' backing band, the Teardrops.

Farewell, and thank you for the music.

And finally, sadly:

Hannah Ahlers, 34, Beaumont, CA
Heather Alvarado, 35, Enoch, UT
Dorene Anderson, 49, Anchorage, AK
Carrie Barnette, 34, Garden Grove, CA
Jack Beaton, 54, Bakersfield, CA
Steve Berger, 44, Milwaukee, WI
Candice Bowers, 40, Garden Grove, CA
Denise Burditus, 50, Martinsburg, WV
Sandy Casey, 35, Redondo Beach, CA
Andrea Castilla, 28, Huntington Beach, CA
Denise Cohen, 58, Carpinteria, CA
Austin Davis, 29, Riverside, CA
Thomas Day Jr., 54, Corona, CA
Christiana Duarte, 22, Torrance, CA
Stacee Etcheber, 50, Novato, CA
Brian Fraser, 39, Walnut, CA
Dana Gardner, 52, Grand Terrace, CA
Keri Galvan, 51, Thousand Oaks, CA
Angie Gomez, 20, Riverside, CA
Charleston Hartfield, 34, Las Vegas, NV
Christopher Hazencomb, 44, Camarillo, CA
Jennifer Irvine, 42, San Diego, CA
Nicol Kimura, 38, Placentia, CA
Jessica Klymchuk, 34, Valleyview, Alberta
Carly Kreibaum, 33, Sutherland, IA
Rhonda LeRocque, 42, Tewksbury, MA
Victor Link, 55, San Clemente, CA
Jordan McIldoon, 23, Maple Ridge, British Columbia
Kelsey Meadows, 28, Taft, CA
Calla Medig, 28, Jasper, Alberta
Sonny Melton, 29, Paris, TN
Pati Mestas, 67, Menifee, CA
Austin Meyer, 24, Reno, NV
Adrian Murfitt, 35, Anchorage, AK
Rachel Parker, 33, Manhattan Beach, CA
Jennifer Parks, 36, Lancaster, CA
Carrie Parsons, 31, Seattle, WA
Lisa Patterson, 46, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
John Phippen, 57, Valencia, CA
Melissa Ramirez, 26, Bakersfield, CA
Jordyn Rivera, 21, San Bernardino, CA
Quintin Robbins, 20, Henderson, NV
Cameron Robinson, 28, St. George, UT
Rocio Guillen Rocha, 40, Eastvale, CA
Lisa Romero-Muniz, 48, Gallup, NM
Christopher Roybal, 28, Denver, CO
Brett Schwanbeck, 61, Bullhead City, AZ
Bailey Schweitzer, 20, Bakersfield, CA
Laura Shipp, 50, Thousand Oaks, CA
Erick Silva, 21, Las Vegas, NV
Susan Smith, 53, Simi Valley, CA
Tara Roe Smith, 34, Okotoks, Alberta
Brennan Stewart, 30, Las Vegas, NV
Derrick "Bo" Taylor, 56, Oxnard, CA
Neysa Tonks, 46, Las Vegas, NV
Michelle Vo, 32, Los Angeles, CA
Kurt Von Tillow, 55, Cameron Park, CA
Bill Wolfe, Jr., 42, Shippensburg, PA

These fifty eight individuals were killed when a gunman opened fire on 22,000 fans at an outdoor country music concert headlined by Jason Aldean on October 1 in Las Vegas. Additionally, 546 other concertgoers were injured.

That Nashville Sound's Top Albums Of 2017- A Year-End Best Of List

2017 has been a decidedly interesting year when it comes to measuring the divide between what's defined as commercially and critically acclaimed.

On one hand, you have terrestrial radio which continues to put out male-dominated uptempo numbers that borrow more from pop rock production than they do the steps that the founding country mothers and fathers laid down for them to get there. That's not to say that everything on the radio is that way or everything on the radio is bad. There's some terrific songs receiving airplay that will certainly be on our Top Songs of 2017 list that will be coming out later. It's just that we lament their lack of diversity. Country casts a huge shadow across a number of different sub-genres including bluegrass, Red Dirt, Americana, Countrypolitan, traditional, inspirational and more. As this list below will show, there are contributions that are incredibly powerful beyond the narrow boundaries of that radio dial.

To prove this point, recent best-selling albums that have led the charts include Chris Stapleton, Joey Feek, Jason Isbell, Sturgill Simpson and Willie Nelson- all artists with virtual no radio support. There's still an audience for all everything under the country umbrella.

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

The amount of great music that has been released into 2017 has been nothing short of remarkable, however. We live in an incredible time. The internet, YouTube and 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. But a handful of those releases stand out above all others. That's where this list comes in. 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. Jason Eady - Jason Eady - Any casual reader of this site has heard us pontificate at the genius of Eady's storytelling on TNS favorite albums like When The Money's All Gone and AM Country Heaven. And while Money still resonates as one of THE great albums of the last decade, Jason Eady might be its equal. Eady finds inspiration- and passes it along in his storytelling- in 10 songs about the ups (and mostly) downs of love and life. Words and lyrics aren’t just spoken, they’re painted on a auditory canvas. Feelings bleed their way throughout the album like an emotional blanket. It’s storytelling depth with an eye for detail hardly seen across any genres in modern music. Tracks like "Barabbas," "Black Jesus," "Not Too Loud," and "Where I've Been" are modern-day Don Williams-like crafts of art. But its "Waiting To Shine" that 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. Lyrically, it's damn-near perfect.

2. Erin Enderlin – Whiskeytown Crier- She is the highly acclaimed songwriter behind songs “Monday Morning Church” by Alan Jackson, “Last Call” by Lee Ann Womack, and a number of other songs from Randy Travis, Terri Clark, Joey + Rory and Tyler Farr among others. She’s enlisted a who’s who of friends and authentic country artists to assist on the project including Jamey Johnson and Jim “Moose” Brown handling producer duties. Artists assisting with vocals on the project include Chris Stapleton, John Scott Sherrill, Randy Houser and Ricky Skaggs. Of the song themes, even Jamey Johnson—the mostly-dour-topic troubadour who co-produced the album—was worried that this group of songs might be collectively too dark. “Can you believe that?” laughs Enderlin. She almost proudly exclaims, “Jamey thought my songs were too sad.” The stories only further exemplify Enderlin’s fantastic ability to carve a story out of the trials and tribulations of small-town America.

3. Drew Kennedy – At Home In The Big Lonesome- It makes only sense in a year in which Texas native Drew Kennedy had much of his home state seriously damaged by a ravaging hurricane that his 8th album would be his most serious and intimate to date. For those that believe Texas is filled with just honky-tonk and swing music, this project borrows more from James Taylor and Don Williams than it ever does Asleep at the Wheel. It's excellence beyond expectation and compare. Drew has always been an intellectual writer, but he has hit his stride on this unbelievable album. From the opening piano-laden track "When I'll Miss You Most," he reaches right in your chest and grabs hold of your heart. For anyone who has experienced loss, it's beautifully tragic and meaningful all at once. Not a word is wasted and the production allows the lyrics space to live like Walt Whitman's finest prose. Song after song, you come to the realization that each and every song is just so damn smart. On "Cream and Sugar," he has me crushing so hard on the waitress and stranger he's describing, my wife ought to be jealous. Kennedy's gift is that he can find the beauty and specialness of what typically goes unseen. Whether that's an old motel sign or the feeling of the breeze upon your skin, he has a poet’s knack for creating visual and tactile image from a spoken word. “This is the story of what life is like for those of us somewhere in the middle of it all,” Kennedy says. “It’s about the journey to get to this point, and the giant question mark-shaped path we’re following onward from here. Of how even the best-laid plans for your next big step have to so often be altered because life calls.” It's not that what Kennedy says is overly profound- although there are parts of the project that are emotionally heavy. (A home imploding on "House" comes to mind.) It's that what he says is overly interesting. You find yourself hanging on each sentence and lyric because they deliver an observation in a way that you haven't heard before. This is a storyteller songwriting at the very peak of expertise. It makes up one of our very favorite albums of 2017.

4. Sunny Sweeney - Trophy - Sunny Sweeney is the daylight AND the dark on this incredibly crafted album that has our favorite song of the year on it.  There's an incredibly open and honest depth and brazen authenticity to this project that connects straight to your soul. While Sweeney wrote with her longtime favorites including Monty Holmes, Buddy Owens and Jay Clementi, she has expanded her circle of collaborators in recent years including co-writes with Lori McKenna, Caitlyn Smith, Heather Morgan. It resulted a decidedly female percentage of voices and a collection of songs that are more profound than any found on Sweeney's previously outstanding two projects. What stands out as her most astounding musical achievement is the heart-wrenching, emotional powerhouse, honest and autobiographical "Bottle By The 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.

5. Chris Stapleton - From a Room, Volume 1 - One of the hardest things to do in entertainment (and sports) 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 is can't suffer from the sophomore 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. "Second One To Know" and "Either Way" stand out as favorites on the project.

6. Various Artists - Gentle Giant - The Songs of Don Williams -  It becomes clear from the very first song that this tribute to country music great Don Williams including performances by Pistol Annies, Brandy Clark, Lady Antebellum, Dierks Bentley, Chris Stapleton, Alison Krauss, John Prine, Jason Isbell, Trisha Yearwood, Keb' Mo' and Garth Brooks is going to be special.  The ties that bind are the incredible stories and songwriting that the severely underrated Don Williams has crafted over many decades of performances and for the most part, the list of artists invited to cover his songs do a masterful interpretation. Sidenote: Williams' longtime producer and friend Garth Fundis produced the tribute album.


7. Jason Isbell and the 400 - The Nashville Sound - Without exaggeration, Jason Isbell has become one of the most respected and celebrated songwriters of his generation. He possesses an incredible penchant for identifying and articulation some of the deepest, yet simplest, human emotions, and turning them into beautiful poetry though song. Isbell sings of the everyday human condition with thoughtful, heartfelt, and sometimes brutal honesty, and the new album is no exception. He alternates between lovely, pensive ballads (The Last of My Kind, If We Were Vampires), guitar rockers (Cumberland Gap, Hope The High Road), and in-betweeners (White Man's World, Molotov). All the while, Isbell's lyrical blend of introspection, social consciousness, hope, despair, love, fear, and beauty, encompasses what the best music was made to do: stir up as many emotions as possible.

8. Various Artists - Outlaw - Celebrating the Music of Waylon Jennings - On July 6, 2015, a collection of music's legendary outlaws and rising superstars came together for a once-in-a lifetime concert in Austin, Texas, to celebrate the life and music of country music legend Waylon Jennings. The concert featured performances by Chris Stapleton, Shooter Jennings, Jessi Colter, Bobby Bare, Lee Ann Womack, Buddy Miller, Sturgill Simpson, Kacey Musgrave, Jamey Johnson, Robert Earl Keen, Kris Kristofferson, Ryan Bingham, Alison Krauss, Toby Keith, Eric Church, and Willie Nelson. It's completely as bad-ass as it sounds. The only criticism is that it took nearly two years to get in our ears.

 9. Lee Ann Womack – The Lonely, The Lonesome and The Gone – These days, her music isn’t about chasing radio fads or the latest trends in musical stylings. Womack has found her own personal muse and groove over her last few album introductions and it’s all about emotive lyrics that draw you into each song. She sings to us, she doesn’t holler. To clarify that, it’s not about the range of her voice or the high notes that she can hit. It not that her voice isn’t beautiful, it’s that she uses it in an understated way to convey the most meaning. Instead of layering her voice over and over in production, her back-up is a trailing steel guitar. It creates an intimate album that’s both lonely and inspiring at the exact same time. The song topics have onion-level layers that open up with each progressive listening.

10. Chris Stapleton – From A Room, Volume 2 – The world was graced with not one, but two different Stapleton offerings this year. Each was a delicious treat but #2 was especially so for its raucous delivery of the old Steeldrivers song “Midnight Train to Memphis” and the introspective and beautiful “A Simple Song.”  Stapleton has evolved his own unique blend of soul and country and America has responded with album purchases not seen since Taylor Swift rewrote country album sales records. We can only be so blessed as to have Stapleton be so prolific in the near future.

11. Glen Campbell - Adios - In the throws of his well-documented early diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease three years ago, Campbell entered the studio with family at this side and made a final album filled with songs that unintentionally say goodbye.  Produced by Glen's longtime banjo player and friend Carl Jackson, the album features Glen singing four Jimmy Webb songs that Glen never recorded but always loved, including the title track. Adios features songs written by Roger Miller, Bob Dylan, Dickey Lee, Jerry Reed, Fred Neil, and includes a duet with Willie Nelson on "Funny How Time Slips Away" - and special guest Vince Gill on harmony vocals in "Am I All Alone (Or Is It Only Me)." The album is a true family affair as Glen's daughter Ashley and sons Cal and Shannon, all perform on the record.  "Just Like Always" is among his very best work of his career.

12. Willie Nelson - God's Problem Child - At 84, his voice is diminished and that distinctive guitar play on old Trigger isn't as nimble as it used to be. But Nelson's ability to craft and select songs is better than ever. Cover to cover this album speaks to the soul. Mickey Rachael's harmonica work glows throughout the recording beautifully. It's an album about mortality but done "Willie-style" with lots of silly humor and even some pathos for the loss of his good friend, Merle Haggard. "Old Timer" reflects on his age incredibly well and "Delete and Fast Forward" and "Your Memory Has A Mind of It's Own" stand out as tracks for the ages.

13. Natalie Hemby - Puxico - She's written songs for Lee Ann Womack, Eli Young Band, Toby Keith, Miranda Lambert, Sunny Sweeney and Little Big Town- but it wasn't until she used her hometown as inspiration, that Hemby has let her own voice rise through her debut project. The songs are stripped back, often with sparse instrumentation to leave room for Hemby's lilting vocals to permeate the track. Her lyrics offer depth and thoughtful imagery, avoiding the cliches of many songs in the country world. They recognize the details of growing up as a child and paint an imagery that's incredibly easy to see in the mind's eye. Hemby references specific families, places and memories of the town her grandfather lived in and on which he left a lasting effect. And yet, the songs paint a landscape to which anyone who longs for open spaces, peace and the beauty of rural life can relate.

14. Radney Foster- For You to See the Stars – Criminally under the radar was this combination book and terrific album from one of country music’s most respected writers.  Among the tales Foster conjures up in his collection are the story of a retired spy in New Orleans, the tale of a Dallas lawyer wandering the Rocky Mountains in search of redemption, and a post-apocalyptic parable of a world in endless war. “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.

15. Angaleena Presley - Wrangled - If there’s a pedigree for a modern country music star, then Angaleena Presley fits all of the criteria: a coal miner’s daughter; native of Beauty, Kentucky; a direct descendent of the original feuding McCoys; a one-time single mother; a graduate of both the school of hard knocks and college; a former cashier at both Wal-Mart and Winn-Dixie. Her sass shines through as 1/3 of the supergroup Pistol Annies and it bleeds over on this project as well. Each song on this album features sharp lyrics, sublime melodies, strong performances and appropriate production, with Presley cool, calm and collected at the center of it all.

16. Hannah Blaylock – Bandit Queen – Perhaps best known for her work with the band Eden’s Edge, Blaylock has been actively performing solo and songwriting in Nashville since the trio’s break-up. Driving through Texas in early 2016 seeking the inspiration for the next chapter of her musical career, she connected with one of her biggest heroes, Emily Robison of The Dixie Chicks. She started writing with Emily and her husband, Martin Strayer. That led to Martin producing her debut solo album. The project is a fantastic blend of Americana and Country with dark mysterious themes and stories full of characters. There’s not a more fantastic vocalist in all of Nashville (and beyond) and you deserve to put some ears on this and see for yourself what a wonderful project it is.

17. Midland- On the Rocks – On the surface, this retro-looking trio looks a bit out of place with the polished stuff that (mostly) makes up the big-label rosters. The result was a neo-traditional surprise hit that brought twang back in the coolest way and introduced a more classical sound back into the country radio airwaves. It was a breath of fresh air to have their (mainly) acoustic driven harmonies and fun lyrical content to offset the synthetic sounds of drum machines.

18. Will Hoge- Anchors- After a truly brilliant album release in 2015 with Small Town Dreams, Will Hoge delivered another fantastic album entitled Anchors. Will Hoge stands as a shining star example about how you can carve out a career in music doing it independently. Despite a year-and-a-half stint with Atlantic Records, Hoge has developed a significant following of fans and produced ten albums over the course of the last two decades. An extremely prolific songwriter, Hoge has written a small catalog of songs for others and even received a Grammy nomination for Eli Young Band’s number one hit, “Even If It Breaks Your Heart.” Songs like the acoustic-led country weeper "Angels Wings" and the Tom Petty-esque closer "Young As We Will Ever Be," that contemplates the constant drip of time, are tied together as they reveal that which makes us human. Good can come from bad and pleasure comes from overcoming the darkness. Hoge has a knack of revealing the small details that tell a bigger picture.

19. Tony Jackson - Tony Jackson - This album belongs on this list, if only for his soulful cover of George Jones' "The Grand Tour."  It's sublime. The rest of the project find squarely in the traditional country genre and fits Jackson's tenor and voice perfectly. Check out "Old Porch Swing" and the dedication to those artists that inspired him to get into music, "They Lived It Up."

20. Alison Krauss - Windy City -  From the minute that Krauss opens her mouth on the first and title track, she has you hooked. Quite honestly, she could sing the phone book with that ethereal voice of hers and I just might have to sit down and listen. Her voice caresses the mic with the tender touch of a velvet glove. It’s expressive. It’s personal. And it draws you in like a whisper on a wind. That fragility is transferred best to songs that share the same sense of frailty.  The lyrics she sings and inquiries she pose hang there in the air like a ghost to the ears.

21. Charlie Worsham - Beginning of Things -  The clever, quirky Beginning of Things comes as a surprise to some, but a long-awaited delivery from those of us that fell in love with 2013's Rubberband.  Worsham indulges in being a little bit all over the map as he shifts directions from song to song, moving from gentle fingerpicking folk to simmering soul- throwing in a good measure of his trademark humor along the way.

22. Brandy Clark - Live From Los Angeles - It seems only appropriate that Clark's old-school approach to songwriting would result in this, a Record Store Day project that was only available in vinyl. This live album features recordings from one of Clark’s acoustic shows at The Hotel Cafe in Los Angeles and features a total of 11 songs off of her previous albums 12 Stories and Big Day in a Small Town. While it doesn't feature anything new, the stripped down acoustic set and audience interaction/stories make it a delightful listen from someone who is at the very top of her craft when it comes to telling a story.

23. Jason Eady and Courtney Patton - Something Together - Thoroughly enjoyable duets by two incredible talents. These new acoustic recordings are familiar but have a new sound and feel, and remind that it is a joy to have this married couple collaborating together. There's not much new here, but the interpretations and singing on each other's "fan favorites" like "Lonesome Down & Out," "Man on a Mountain," "So This Is Life."and "Cry Pretty" give them a new auditory feel not heard on their first album release.

24. Darin and Brooke Aldridge - Faster & Farther - The North Carolinian husband and wife team have hit their stride with this outstanding new bluegrass release filled with incredible musicianship and rich harmonies. Faster and Farther, their sixth project for Mountain Home Music, has an infectious energy that has so much to like. Yet it's the soaring and impeccable vocals of Brooke Aldridge that are the repeated highlights of the album. Her voice is commanding and match the production perfectly. Taking nothing away from Darin's tracks, each time Brooke takes the vocal reins, her beautiful delivery delivers on nearly every song. All in all, this is a project that delivers incredibly well and should be in a music collection for anyone who is a fan of modern bluegrass.

 

25. Ray Wylie Hubbard- Tell The Devil I’m Getting There As Fast I Can- Ray Wylie Hubbard is a Texas legend in every sense of the word. It also marks as the title track from his fantastic new album, featuring two Americana giants Lucinda Williams and Eric Church, the latter of whom name-checked Hubbard in the song “Mr. Misunderstood” last year. "'Tell the Devil' is a rock & roll fable about hanging your life on a guitar, holding onto a dream no matter what or how long it takes, wagering your soul in a crooked game and falling in love with a badass tattooed woman. . .hmmm, maybe it isn't a fable,” says Hubbard. And that kind of philosophical observation is what makes Hubbard’s projects so intriguing. He’s like the wise man that you climb the mountain for a nugget of wisdom.

26. Joey Feek - If Not For You - This album belongs on this list if almost only for sentimental and historical reasons. Feek's well-documented lost battle with cancer last year sets the stage, but it's this "lost" album that was never released on a short-lived solo major-label signing that takes the spotlight. Feek's vocals shine like they always have as part of Joey + Rory and she sings to us from the other side with stunning tracks like "See You There" and "Southern Girl."

27. Jake Worthington - Hell of a Highway - I have to admit that I'm not a fan of NBC's The Voice and as a result, hadn't had an opportunity to hear young Worthington sing until I hosted him at my Golf & Guitars Music Festival in Sacramento in May. Shy and unassuming, this Texan blew away the crowd in our singer/songwriter night with a deep holler voice that reminds of Randy Travis and Mark Chesnutt and a delivery that has an ability to wrench every drop of emotion out of every single line of lyric. I do not overstate the fact that his performance wowed/stunned the first night audience and that was with incredible songwriters performing with him by the likes of Jack Ingram, Jamie Lin Wilson, Drew Kennedy and more. Worthington is the absolute real deal and this EP balances equal parts traditional honkytonk dance numbers and weepers. He nails them both. Our only criticism is that it being an EP, there's just not enough songs on the project. More Jake is a very good thing.

28. Cadillac Three- Legacy – I believe that Southern Rock falls under the greater umbrella of country music. Bands like the CDB and Lynyrd Skynyrd could be argued to be more connected to country music than much of what gets radio airplay today. No one did this genre better than this rocking trio did on their album Legacy. The lap steel keeps it country but these guys put out infectious hard rocking grooves on their own tracks again and again and again. They dare you not to tap your foot along with their traditional southern themes.

29. Brett Eldredge- Brett Eldredge- Eldredge has quietly evolved into one of country music’s most-respected male vocalists. (If you’ve ever heard him cover Frank Sinatra, you’d clearly see why.)  On this, his third album (fourth if you consider last year’s Christmas project), he’s hitting his stride with both ear-worm fun on “Somethin’ I’m Good At” or the heartfelt “The Reason” and “Brother.”  It’s when Eldredge slows it down and croons when he’s at his very best, letting his vocals take over with texture and a soulfulness that’s rich with emotion.

Album Review: Drew Kennedy- At Home In The Big Lonesome

Artist: Drew Kennedy
Album: At Home In The Big Lonesome
Release date: November 3, 2017
Rating: Four and A Half Stars Out Of Five

It makes only sense in a year in which Texas native Drew Kennedy had much of his home state seriously damaged by a ravaging hurricane that his 8th album would be his most serious and intimate to date. For those that believe Texas is filled with just honky-tonk and swing music, this project borrows more from James Taylor and Don Williams than it ever does Asleep at the Wheel. It's excellence beyond expectation and compare. Drew has always been an intellectual writer, but he has hit his stride on this unbelievable album. From the opening piano-laden track "When I'll Miss You Most," he reaches right in your chest and grabs hold of your heart. For anyone who has experienced loss, it's beautifully tragic and meaningful all at once. Not a word is wasted and the production allows the lyrics space to live like Walt Whitman's finest prose.

Song after song, you come to the realization that each and every song is just so damn smart. On "Cream and Sugar," he has me crushing so hard on the waitress and stranger he's describing, my wife ought to be jealous.

Kennedy's gift is that he can find the beauty and specialness of what typically goes unseen. Whether that's an old motel sign or the feeling of the breeze upon your skin, he has a poets knack for creating visual and tactile image from a spoken word.

“This is the story of what life is like for those of us somewhere in the middle of it all,” Kennedy says. “It’s about the journey to get to this point, and the giant question mark-shaped path we’re following onward from here. Of how even the best-laid plans for your next big step have to so often be altered because life calls.”

It's not that what Kennedy says is overly profound- although there are parts of the project that are emotionally heavy. (A home imploding on "House" comes to mind.) It's that what he says is overly interesting. You find yourself hanging on each sentence and lyric because they deliver an observation in a way that you haven't heard before.

This is a storyteller songwriting at the very peak of expertise. It makes up one of our very favorite albums of 2017.

Record Store Day Releases On Black Friday To Include Previously Unheard Waylon Jennings Project

The next Record Store Day being held on Black Friday (11/4/17) will include a major new project from one of country music's biggest legends as well as some other projects worth noting.

Bonafide country outlaw Waylon Jennings has left us with more music than we probably deserve, even after his untimely death. According to Record Store Day, Jennings was working on a collection of new material to be recorded for a prospective new album in the late 90’s.  Before that album could be recognized, Jennings passed away, and while going through his fathers things, Shooter Jennings recovered a cassette tape labeled “New Stuff.”

A collection of new songs performed by Waylon and his guitar was what played from that tape. Shooter restored the tape and the outcome was a zealous collection of songs. New Stuff is a part of the special 2017 Black Friday edition of Record Store Day.  The album will be on a limited colored 12” vinyl from label Black Country Rock. Waylon Jennings’ last recorded album was Goin’ Down Rockin’.  

Other projects worth noting coming out on that day include:

- Eric Church - Mistress Named Music - 7" vinyl with two live tracks

- Willie Nelson - Spirit - LP - Originally released in 1996, Spirit is issued here for the first time on colored vinyl as a special Record Store Day Black Friday release. It comes newly remastered with a deluxe, gatefold, 'tip-on' uncoated jacket, this is a chance to own this unique album in its most beautifully presented form.

- Willie Nelson - Yesterday's Wine - LP- 1973's Yesterday's Wine has been long out of print on vinyl and is coming to record stores as part of the Friday Music 180g Audiophile Vinyl Series on burgundy vinyl, in a gatefold sleeve and with a poster depicting the cover art included.

- Gram Parsons - Live 1973 Featuring Emmylou Harris -  LP - Live album by Gram Parsons and the Fallen Angels was recorded at Sonic Studios in Hempstead, New York during a live radio broadcast from WLIR-FM.

- Chet Atkins - Guitar Blues - LP - Originally released on 78 in 1946 on Nashville's Bullet Records, this is the first ever vinyl reissue of Chet's very first release! Packaged in an envelope style picture sleeve with liner notes by Chet historian Pat Kirtley. Limited edition blue vinyl.

- Lou Reed and Kris Kristofferson - The Bottom Line Archive Series: In Their Own Words - LP - An exclusive, limited 1000 quantity picture disc LP of select' tracks from Lou Reed and Kris Kristofferson's 'In Their Own words with Vin Scelsa' set from 1994 at the famed Bottom Line in NYC.

- Gentle Giant: The Songs of Don Williams - Tribute LP - Williams' longtime producer and friend Garth Fundis have produced a tribute album, Gentle Giants: The Songs of Don Williams, featuring an all-star lineup of artists. Some of the artists on Gentle Giant include Jason Isbell, Lady Antebellum, Dierks Bentley, Alison Krauss, John Prime and Garth Brooks. The 11-track album is being released on Slate Creek Records exclusively for RSD Black Friday 2017. 

Jennifer Hanson To Release Holiday Project Under the Tree

Artist: Jennifer Hanson
Album: Under the Tree
Label: Independent
Release date: November 3, 2017

Jennifer Hanson came on the scene to critical acclaim with her self-titled debut album. Her single “Beautiful Goodbye” went on to be a top 15 hit, the highest charting debut single by a new female artist for that year. Solidifying herself as a viable artist in the country music format, recording for both Capitol Records and Universal South, it has been Hanson’s songwriting that has led to her continued success in an ever-changing industry. Hanson’s artistry and songs have garnered ACM, CMT and GRAMMY nominations, as well as numerous BMI, SESAC and NSAI awards. Collectively, her songs have sold millions of albums worldwide. She wrote the #1 song “Leave the Pieces”; the debut single for Michelle Branch & Jessica Harp of The Wreckers, as well as the debut single for American Idol finalist Bucky Covington titled “A Different World”, which went on to become a top 5 hit on the Billboard charts. Hanson celebrated her second #1 single with her self-penned song “Let Me Down Easy” recorded by Billy Currington. Hanson also wrote the title track to the movie “Country Strong” performed by Gwyneth Paltrow and has had songs recorded by artists such as pop sensation Kelly Clarkson, country music superstars Rascal Flatts, The CW’s One Tree Hill actress and singer Jana Kramer, rising country music star Mickey Guyton and country legends Pam Tillis, Vince Gill and Don Williams to name a few.

Says Hanson about the project, "Several months ago, I ran across a cassette tape of my dad and I singing “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” when I was 3 ½ years old. As I listened to this spirited little kid blaring out the lyrics to “Rudolph” with such gusto and enthusiasm, I was reminded of the joy and wonder of Christmas and the love and good times it always used to bring around our home that time of year. It was a normal occurrence for my dad to put in a cassette tape and record everything back then, and there was never a minute there wasn’t music playing. Looking back now, I’m so thankful he did. That moment in time he captured is what inspired me to make “Under the Tree”. I’ve always had a love for all things Christmas. It is, by far, one of my most favorite times of the year and nothing makes the holidays more festive than Christmas music. I hope you’ll enjoy listening to this little sampler of new tunes and old as much as I enjoyed making it. Happy Holidays…"

Megan Mullins Honors Don Williams With Performance Of "Lord I Hope This Day Is Good"

TNS Video History- Don Williams- "Tulsa Time"

Country Music Hall of Famer Don Williams Passes Away at 78

K.F. Raizor, author of the website Raizor's Edge and the book We Can't Sing and We Ain't Funny: The World of Homer and Jethro is our guest writer today on That Nashville Sound. She's ever so gracious to provide wonderful tributes to honor those to whom the music we treasure just wouldn't be the same without. Thank you, K.F.

The man they called "the Gentle Giant" is gone. Country Music Hall of Fame great Don Williams died today (9/8) after a short illness.

Born in Texas in 1939, Don Williams' smooth, Jim Reeves-like baritone voice began entertaining fans when he was part of the folk group the Pozo-Seco Singers in the 60s. The group had a minor successes with the songs "I Can Make It With You" and "Look What You've Done," both hitting the Billboard pop top 40 charts in 1966. After the band went their separate ways in 1970, member Susan Taylor found success as a songwriter for acts such as the Forrester Sisters, Tanya Tucker, and Mickey Gilley, using the name Taylor Pie. Don Williams, on the other hand, found the top of the mountain. Beginning with "The Shelter of Your Eyes" in late 1972, Williams had 56 singles chart in the Billboard country singles chart, all of four of which were top 40 hits.

There was nothing pretentious about Williams' music. It was pure, simple, and country. He sang of love ("Love Me All Over Again," "The Shelter of Your Eyes" -- both of which Williams wrote [an oft-overlooked element of his career] -- and "I Believe in You") with a beautiful voice and basic guitar, bass, and drum accompaniment. And it caught on. Oh, how it caught on. Over the course of his career Williams compiled seventeen #1 songs.

Interestingly, one of his comparative "flops" (only hitting #33 on the charts) was a Bob McDill love song called "Amanda." Waylon Jennings would later find chart-topping success with the song that Williams first recorded.

In addition to all of the great music, Williams was a devoted family man. He was one of the very few country singers you could say was never associated with any sort of scandal. He loved his wife, Joy, whom he married in 1960.

He also loved his music and his fans, staying on the road and performing until he decided to call it a career in 2016.

If an artist ever gave the world a song to describe how fans would feel about his/her death, it would be Don Williams and "Some Broken Hearts Never Mend."

A sad and grateful farewell to Don Williams, who was 78.

Garth, Stapleton, Isbell, Pistol Annies & More Contribute To Upcoming Don Williams Tribute Album

Artists: Dierks Bentley, Garth Brooks, Brandy Clark, Jason Isbell & Amanda Shires, Alison Krauss, Lady Antebellum, Keb’ Mo’, Pistol Annies, John Prine, Chris and Morgane Stapleton and Trisha Yearwood
Album: Gentle Giants: The Songs of Don Williams
Label: Slate Creek Records
Release date: May 26, 2017

Country Music Hall of Fame member Don Williams announced his retirement from performing last year, concluding an impressive five-decade career that includes two CMA Awards, two ACM Awards and 17 No. 1 hits. In honor of his legendary career, Williams’ longtime producer and friend Garth Fundis has produced a tribute album, Gentle Giants: The Songs of Don Williams, featuring an all-star lineup of artists including Dierks Bentley, Garth Brooks, Brandy Clark, Jason Isbell & Amanda Shires, Alison Krauss, Lady Antebellum, Keb’ Mo’, Pistol Annies, John Prine, Chris and Morgane Stapleton and Trisha Yearwood. The 11-track album will be released on Slate Creek Records on Friday, May 26, in honor of Williams’ birthday the following day.

“It has been my privilege to work frequently with Don through the years, and I’m proud to honor him with this new project,” said Fundis. “All of the artists on the album have been huge Don Williams fans for years. It makes the entire project very personal and very meaningful.”

All guest artist performances on the album were generously donated in support of MusiCares®, the charitable foundation created by The Recording Academy, which provides a safety net of critical assistance for those in the music field in times of need. The services cover a wide range of financial, medical and personal emergencies. The foundation will receive a majority of the proceeds from the sale of the album.

Gentle Giants: The Songs of Don Williams Track Listing:

 1. "Tulsa Time" - Pistol Annies
2. "I Believe in You" - Brandy Clark
3. "We've Got a Good Fire Goin'" - Lady Antebellum
4. "Some Broken Hearts Never Mend" - Dierks Bentley
5. "Amanda" - Chris Stapleton feat. Morgane Stapleton
6. "Till The Rivers All Run Dry" - Alison Krauss
7. "Love Is On A Roll" - John Prine feat. Roger Cook
8. "If I Needed You" - Jason Isbell & Amanda Shires
9. "Maggie's Dream" - Trisha Yearwood
10. "Lord I Hope This Day is Good" - Keb' Mo'
11. "Good Ole Boys Like Me" - Garth Brooks

New Live Don Williams Album Release in April Follows His Retirement Announcement

Artist: Don Williams
Album: Don Williams In Ireland: The Gentle Giant In Concert
Label: Red Ant / Bmg
Release date: April 15, 2016

Country Music Hall of Famer and CMA/ACM award winner Don Williams, who became one of the biggest country stars known as the “Gentle Giant” with his relaxed songs and 6-foot-1-inch frame, is retiring after six decades of making music and entertaining crowds.

“It’s time to hang my hat up and enjoy some quiet time at home. I’m so thankful for my fans, my friends and my family for their everlasting love and support,” Williams said.

But before he rides off into the sunset, Williams will release one final recording, a live performance album and DVD performance (available either way) that was recorded in Ireland in 2014 in Belfast and Dublin.
  1. Good Ole Boys Like Me
  2. Some Broken Hearts Never Mend
  3. Lay Down Beside Me
  4. Back In My Younger Days
  5. She Never Knew Me
  6. Elise
  7. How Did You Do It
  8. From Now On
  9. If Hollywood Don't Need You
  10. Till the Rivers All Run Dry
  11. It Must Be Love
  12. I Believe In You
  13. Imagine That
  14. Tulsa Time
  15. Amanda
  16. You're My Best Friend
  17. Lord I Hope This Day Is Good
  18. I Recall a Gypsy Woman
  19. Louisiana Saturday Night

Interview Flashback- The Authenticity of Joey+Rory

I have been blessed to write contributions/reviews/interviews/opinion pieces for several country music and roots-oriented websites and publications over the years including Saving Country Music, Nashville Scene, Country California, Country Weekly, American Noise, The 9513 and Engine 145. As a regular contributor to the last two in that list, I did close to a 100 interviews with different artists- and since both of those great sites have come down, I will reprint some of those interviews here to give them a home in perpetuity. This interview was originally published in October 2012 on Engine 145. With the news filled with news of Joey's battle with cancer, I thought this might be an appropriate celebration of her work in music, television and life. My family wishes them peace.

My bride and I- September 2012 at Marcy Jo's Mealhouse

Don’t ever underestimate the authenticity of Joey Martin and Rory Feek, better known to the country world as the married duo Joey+Rory. The good ole farm-living down-home family-first approach that the couple put forth in their music and in their new RFD-TV series The Joey and Rory Show is as truthful as it comes. 

In the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it community of Pottsville (about a 45 minutes south of Nashville) in a refurbished old 1890’s mercantile store converted into a restaurant called Marcy Jo’s Mealhouse is where we met for an interview. Marcy is Rory’s younger sister. The Jo part is named after Joey Martin Opened in 2007, the historic building charms as it leans slightly to the right and fills bellies with great meat-and-three meals. You want authentic? Where else do you have Joey come out from the kitchen in an apron, a little flour on her elbow, introduce herself and whip out a pad of paper to take our order as our waitress? Obviously, this isn’t an odd-job to make ends meet. What you learn quickly is that cooking, baking and sitting down with a meal with their community are passions. And when you’re blessed to be Sugar Hill recording artists Joey+Rory with three albums under your belt, including the new His and Hers out this summer, life is all about following your passions.  

One of those passions also happens to include story-driven classic country music. In a radio hit driven market, the duo has taken the road less travelled to remain authentic to them. If it isn’t music that moves them, they simply choose not to listen to it, play it or write it. That authenticity has driven them to all but write off current modern country radio. The constant travel for radio tours took them away from their farm, their family, their friends and their restaurant. And while they still love to play for an audience, Joey was homesick when they were out on the road for too long. And that is where Rory’s brainstorm took hold with the television show. Loosely modeled after the classic 50’s and 60’s variety shows- even kicking off in black and white- The Joey and Rory Show was designed to open the world into the duo’s life together better than any radio interview ever could. Rory converted an old barn into a soundstage and writes, produces and stars in this “moving picture scrapbook.” The show has been one of RFD-TV’s better rated series and RFD is one of cable’s most quickly growing stations. Count Vince Gill and Loretta Lynn among the show’s fans. 

What you see is what you get. Truly. And one more thing. As truly spectacular as those first three albums were, they only come close to matching the deliciousness of the hand-rolled Marcy Jo Angel Biscuits and the rich decadence of the homemade Triple Chocolate Pecan Cake. Taking in both incredible baked goods while Joey+Rory is playing in the speakers overhead is the epitome of country bliss. Authentic country bliss. 

Ken Morton, Jr.: Congratulations on a fine third album and what is turning out to be a very fun television show. They both seem, at least on the surface, to really allow your personalities to show through quite a bit. 

Rory Feek: It’s been fun to make. We do it all here with all of our people and we do it ourselves. That’s pretty unusual. 

Joey Martin: In fact, before this interview, Rory was back at home doing the editing. We have an episode that’s due on Friday.

KMJ: Are a lot of friends and family involved?

RF: It’s actually just friends and family. The people that are doing the work with us are all friends and family that we’ve known for a long time. And they’ve never made a television show either. So we’re all learning this together for the first time. We’re all new at it and we’re having a great time. Everything is in our community. It’s not just a TV show, it’s an experiment of trying to do something different. So far, it’s been beyond everything we could have hoped for. The response has been terrific. The process has been harder than I thought. It’s actually a lot more than a lot. (laughter)

KMJ: You converted your old barn into a soundstage for the show, I understand. That had to take some creativity, I would imagine. 

JM: We did.

RF: Thomas is our handyman at the farm so everything we need done at the farm, he is able to do. He does everything. When we said we were moving my old cars out and converting the old barn into a soundstage, he just started working on it. We all started working on it. We insulated, dry-walled and hung lights. It’s pretty spectacular. Our local air-conditioning company sponsors the show and they gave us huge amounts of air-conditioning and heating which we obviously wouldn’t have had before. It’s turned into a great space. We can now just walk across our driveway and make a television show. That’s pretty unusual. 

KMJ: How important was it to do the show from home?

RF: I don’t think there was an option. We want to be at home. Part of the decision we made was to try and get off the road a bit and be at home more. If we were to do that, you need to have a way to grow your audience without leaving your house. We were just trying to figure it out. We had first shot a sitcom. It was going to be a weekly sitcom. It was all around our regular lives. Part of it was here with Marcy and Joey. It was more work and it was harder. But most importantly, there was no music involved. So we finally decided to change directions and just do what we do best. We didn’t want to get too ambitious. 

KMJ: Your name is on the credits a handful of times including as a producer. Are you learning this all on the seat of your pants or have you had any training?

RF: I’m actually creator, producer, writer, editor…

JM: Storyteller…

RF: But I’ve been actually doing our music videos for awhile. I’ve been really into all of that stuff for awhile. And we have a friend named Dave who is the host of the show and the director of the show. He’s been a friend forever. He’s really talented. The guy who has been shooting our photography for all of our albums got pulled in and now he’s the DP of the show, setting up all the shots. It’s been really neat. And for me, even though I’ve not done it before, it’s been a great challenge to tackle. 

JM: And he’s super good at it. The whole thing about editing is nothing but straight storytelling. It’s putting all these pieces together which totally parallels what great songwriting is. And that’s what he does so well. 

RF: And she doesn’t want any part of it. I’ll be up early and doing all the planning for filming that day and she’s back on the back porch shelling purple whole peas that she picked from the garden that morning. 

JM: As it should be. (Laughing)

RF: But, I love it. She’s not driven by any of it. She knows the work has to be done so yesterday morning she was canning okra. I had to finish this one segment so I brought this camera in and filmed her doing just what she does. And then I took it back to the barn and worked on it. And that’s how she likes it. And that’s how I like it because she keeps our life normal. And I try to make it extraordinary. 

KMJ: This will make a really good video scrapbook for the two of you long-term. 

RF: You’re so right. It is a scrapbook. We would never be on Twitter. Or really even Facebook. But we’re on Twitter because it’s a diary. We share our life, but not so much stuff with the label and our business stuff. We don’t care about the business stuff. We want to share real things. We look back over the last two years and it really is neat that we were sort of forced to stop and capture that moment. Because we really wouldn’t have done that if we hadn’t had the show. 

KMJ: How has the reception been from television viewers, fans and the cable station?

JM: It’s been amazing. I walked in here (into Marcy Jo’s) this morning and this table over here had tears in her eyes to come and meet us. She’s in her 70’s and it means so much to her that we’re showing that we’re real life people living normal lives with extraordinary circumstances that are placed in our life everyday. It means so much to people. The restaurant has shown it. I’ve been working here each of the last three weekends and 75% of the people through here are from out of state. They’ve never been here before. But they’ve seen us on RFD, think it’s a great show and drive up to six hours away. They’ll get up at 5am and drive six hours to come have breakfast. They’re not even sure we’ll be here or not. There has been record weekends at Marcy Jo’s in sales and
lines out the door. In everyone’s career, you’ll have highs and lows. There are times when you’re peaking and everyone knows who you are. And there are times when you’re not nearly as popular any more. But we’re to the point where people are recognizing us more and more because of the show. It’s a neat feeling. The demographic that’s recognizing is really neat. It’s some of the older folks and it’s a neat feeling that they’re getting to know you a little deeper. It’s really about the music and the relationship between Rory and I as a husband and wife. 

KMJ: You put on a Bib and Buckle Concert that’s held out on your farm for the general public once or twice a year. This is sort of an extension of that, no?

JM: Absolutely. Absolutely. And that was the first episode that we did, actually. With the show, we’re going to have to cap it this year. We only have so much parking. Our yard is only so big. (Laughter)

KMJ: There will be future seasons, I’m guessing?

JM: Yes, first season is all done and we’re already shooting for season two. We’re really blessed to have investors that believe in us so much. They believe in traditional country music and just miss it. For us, it’s just an outlet to share what we do. It allows us to share our music and hopefully, fill a hole. 

KMJ: There are some songs being performed on the show that you’ve written that weren’t originally cut by you and some songs that are being premiered for the first time on the show that haven’t previously been recorded. Is there a thought to releasing some of these songs as sort of a soundtrack to the show?

RF: Joey wouldn’t know the answer to that… yet. (Laughter) 

JM: Well, it sounds like we are!

RF: We are for sure going to releasing a box set of Season One of DVD’s. We’ve also talked about turning some of the songs of Season One into a soundtrack. We need to find out the details, but our goal is to have the songs from an episode immediately available on i-Tunes as soon as an episode airs. The recipes are the same way from the cooking segment. In the coming season, we’ll be digging into songs that people and performances that folks have never heard us sing. We’ll do “Chain of Love” and some of that next season. 

KMJ: How are you two choosing the music guests that are on the show each week?

RF: So far, we’re doing it off a short list of friends that we know and that we believe in. They’re people we’ve done stuff with for awhile. Some of the folks we did multiple songs on so that they can come back in Season Two. Like Bradley Walker, we want him to be part of Season Two. Leslie Satcher has written for us in the past and she’s going to be on the show. We’ve gotten tons of emails and mail from aspiring songwriters that
want to be on the show that we don’t know and we don’t want to do that right now. There is so much talent just within our lives and our own circle. 

JM: Like with Leslie, when you do one of her songs, you can just hope and pray that it turns out as good as her demo. She’s one of those gals that deserves a shot. And perhaps, due to circumstances outside her control, she doesn’t get that chance. But we believe in her. Rory always says that when you’re in the spotlight, that is your chance to grab somebody else and bring them into the spotlight with you. And that’s hopefully what we’re doing a little bit. We want to elevate those people we love and have people hear the music we love so much. 

KMJ: We touched on it a little bit earlier, but talk to me about the importance of this restaurant in the show. It’s obvious that it’s just an extension of family and your community just from the little time we’ve been in here. You’ve waved to every single person that’s walked through the door. Talk to me about the role of Marcy Jo’s in the master plan of the show. 

RF: What’s important is that it’s real. Every day, I will come down here and have breakfast with my sister. Saturday’s, when we’re off from the road, Joey works down here. It’s a part of our lives. Our dreams coming true are also a part of Marcy’s dreams coming true. And she’s an all-out personality. To include her as part of the show was just an easy decision to make. This is truly a great location for people to come to eat. These people behind us drove an hour and a half to come here this morning. People drive 12 hours, seven hours, from all over the place. It would be one thing to drive all that way to meet us or see pictures of us on the wall. Forget all that. This is a great place to come. It’s a great experience. 

KMJ: (With Marcy within earshot) Has Marcy gotten a slew of agents and a bunch of people and let it all go to her head yet?

RF: (laughter) Marcy is rough around the edges and she’s always upset because she wants to swear. She wants to smoke on camera. 

JM: (Marcy reluctantly nods in the background) We’re always having to stop. Beep. “Marcy, you can’t say that.” Beep “Marcy, you can’t say that.” 

RF: What’s important is to include the people around you in your moment- and then to keep it as real as possible. And it’s not the most well done thing in the world. There are plenty of professionals doing things really well-done. But people want to see authenticity and that’s really the only thing we offer... authenticity. We want to keep that. 

KMJ: You guys finish each episode with a single song called “That’s Important to Me.” What’s the importance of that track?

JM: I think if people ask what is the song that is the cornerstone of what you are, “That’s Important to Me” is what we do and what we do with our music. We thought what a great
way to end the show if we’re asking our viewers what is important in their lives. We wanted to remind folks of the friends and family and the important people in their lives just as we’ve show in ours. So we’ve pulled a couple lines of the song off for each episode. 

RF: I think we spend our lives, even as we’re travelling and working and chasing our goals, constantly asking ourselves, “What’s the point?” You have to stop and take account of what really matters to you. Because if you don’t, you’ll lose those things. Or ten years will go by and you’ll have missed all the good stuff. It’s partly us trying to remind ourselves to do that and also a reminder for our listeners to do the same thing. Take account of what really matters to you. Instead of just entertaining, we get to stop and ask a profound question too. Whether it matters to any one, we have no idea.

KMJ: You mentioned authenticity as an important factor to the show. The press release from Sugar Hill on your third album mentioned the same thing. What does authenticity mean when it comes to your music?

RF: When we started singing together, it was really just by accident. When we got out on the road as a duo, I really just played guitar and sang harmony for Joey. That’s what I thought I was supposed to do. Quickly, I started doing half the singing and she did half the singing. I’d do these funny songs or a couple of the hit songs. As a live act, both of our talents were on show the whole time, but on our albums it didn’t reflect that. On this album, we decided, “Let’s do that.” We wanted to share a little more of each other than do things one-sided.

And the other thing is that you can’t control all those outside influences or if something is going to be successful or not. So rather than spend any more time- and we’ve been surrounded by people that have said, “Spend time worrying about that,” and, “Try and grow that to a certain level and be like the others,”- we’re just going to let God sort that stuff out. Let’s just make a really good record. All of a sudden, it becomes nothing but perfect and fun all the time. When you add all those other things where it adds all those expectations or pressures…

JM: You have all these pressures where you can’t even control anyways. Does it really make a difference or not? What is it that we really want to say and how do we really want it to come across. 

KMJ: At least from the outside looking in, Sugar Hill seems to be on board with that mission. For a company who is in business ultimately to sell records, that commercial versus authentic argument seems to sabotage some artists’ missions a lot of times up there on Music Row. They seem on board. 

JM: They are. They’ve been really supportive of what our desires have been. We spent the first three years doing every single radio stations, every single show the record company wanted. We quickly learned what was enjoyable, what was okay and what was less than enjoyable. And because of that, we learned what was important and what was not important. When this record came out, we wanted to really evaluate and say, “What direction do we want to go down?” And the one thing we knew we didn’t want to push was radio. Because we didn’t think we could. The type of music that we sing, the traditional sound that we use, what we look like, it didn’t fit. All of those things were a factor. We’ve tried and tried and tried and tried. 

RF: Plus, we’re on an indie label with a little money and power to really do anything. It adds up to that you’re going to listen to the radio and not be on the radio. 

JM: We said, “We don’t want to do that.” 

RF: She really said that. (laughter) She said, “I’m not doing that anymore.” We were at the ACM Awards this last year, and Joey came to the conclusion that we didn’t want to chase that any more. She wanted to come home. This life is not what we want to do. And that’s not to say that you couldn’t have songs on the radio, but it’s just a different approach. 

JM: We still love country music and we still believe in it. And we want to be part of it. We just want to do it in a unique way. 

RF: Sugar Hill comes from a bluegrass background so they’ve only and always been about authenticity. Now, within the last couple of years, they’ve inserted some more commercial stuff. They have to combine those because labels that only worry about the artistic stuff aren’t here any more. But they’ve done a tremendous job supporting us and letting us do what we want to do. They know that us being authentic is just staying back and waiting for something to happen. Nobody works harder than us or is more creative than we try to be creative. I think we’re really good partners for one-another. 

KMJ: It might just be that it reflects some of my favorite tracks on His and Hers, but it seems like this album is slowed down in tempo a bit from the previous two. 

JM: I think we just wanted to record our best songs, whether they be ours or somebody else’s. With it being His and Hers and splitting the performances, and Rory having an unbelievable catalog of songs, we knew had the songs we wanted to record. I told him, “You do six and I’ll do six.” I told him that “Josephine” and “Bible and the Belt” had to be on there. So he really only had four more to choose from. (laughter) It just worked out that way. We didn’t start by saying we need four to five up-tempos and three mid-tempos. We just let the music speak and had it be what it was supposed to be. We really didn’t worry about anything else. 

RF: And we love ballads. We love ballads. So it isn’t nearly as ballad-heavy as we’d like it to be. We could easily to twelve songs that are all ballads. That’s what I love to hear my wife sing the most. It’s what I like to listen to the most. This record just kind of made itself. 

KMJ: There are a couple of songs written by Tom T. Hall. What is it about him or those tracks that were important to pull in on this project?

RF: I’m a big Don Williams fan and a big Merle Haggard fan and Tom T. Hall and all those people that wrote all their own songs. Everyone considers me a storyteller. He’s famous for being a storyteller. I’ve loved those songs for a long time and those old country standards. I showed Joey those songs and I think she understood the sentiment, but I don’t think she knew how neat it was going to be. Even me, I thought we would do a good job, but the second we recorded it, all we could do was listen to it on repeat. It’s so good. Even our kids love those songs. It’s important to us to lift up the people that carried country music before us. We really admire Tom and that song just showed up at the right time. The one song is all about, “I am what I am and you just have to deal with it.” Luckily, my vices are things like old cars and guitars and…

KMJ: … Turning old barns into soundstages.

RF: (Laughter) … Turning old barns into soundstages. Stuff like that. (Singing) “Your man loves you honey.” 

Before we left, Joey went back into the kitchen and brought out a recipe that she wanted to share with all of the Engine 145 readers. I can attest first-hand to its deliciousness. Do yourself a favor, pop in His and Hers on the stereo and bake up a batch of Marcy Jo’s Mealhouse Famous Angel Biscuits for your next meal. 

5 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons salt
3 teaspoons baking powder
3 tablespoons sugar
4 teaspoons yeast (or 2 packets)
1/2 cup very hot water
3/4 cup shortening
2 cups buttermilk

Directions 
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, and sugar.
2. Cut shortening into flour mixture with pastry blender or fork until evenly distributed.
3. In a small bowl, combine hot water and yeast. Stir until well combined.
4. Stir in buttermilk and flour mixture, until mostly combined.
5. Add yeast to flour mixture and continue mixing with spoon or by hand until well combined.
6. Turn dough onto floured surface. Knead dough until a smooth ball forms.
7. Roll dough out to a one-inch thickness. Cut biscuits and place on a baking sheet with sides touching. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.