The Curtain Falls On Many Country Music Voices In 2020

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 lists some of the musicians and singers we lost along the way in country music this year. 

Hal Ketchum

Here are the people from the world of country music for whom the final curtain fell in 2020. 

Biff Adam (March 7, congestive heart failure, age 83): longtime drummer for Merle Haggard.

Tom Annastas (August 12, heart attack, age 67): longtime vice president of general licensing at BMI Nashville.

William "Bucky" Baxter (May 25, unknown cause, age 65): pedal steel guitarist who co-founded Steve Earle's backing band, the Dukes, and also played steel with Bob Dylan on the "Never-Ending Tour."

Mac Benford (February 15, cancer, age 79): traditional clawhammer-style banjo player and teacher and member of the Highwoods String Band.

Margie Bowes (October 22, illness, age 79): country singer best remembered for “Poor Old Heartsick Me” in 1959.  She was also the ex-wife of Doyle Wilburn.

Jim Brewer (September 12, leukemia, age 82): father of bluegrass singer Gary Brewer, and a frequent member in Brewer's band, the Kentucky Ramblers.

Johnny Bush (October 16, pneumonia, age 85): Texas-born and bred hard country singer with a great voice and a great songwriting pen.  Among his compositions was Willie Nelson's signature tune, "Whiskey River."

Stan Byrd (May 23, unknown cause, age 77): longtime music executive in Nashville who worked for CBS, Asylum, and Warner Brothers' country divisions.

Buddy Cage (February 4, multiple myeloma, age 73): pedal steel guitarist for the country-rock band New Riders of the Purple Sage.

Jimmy Capps (June 2, unknown cause, age 81): Musicians Hall of Fame guitar player who was a member of the Opry Staff Band and backed some of the biggest names in country music for over 60 years.

Pete Carr (June 27, unknown cause, age 70): Muscle Shoals guitarist who backed countless performers in the studio from country to pop to rock in a Musicians Hall of Fame career.

Wayne Chandler (August 7, renal cancer, age 54): Nashville tourism/hospitality executive who had worked with Kitty Wells and was also the onetime owner of the Nashville Nightlife Theater.

Arthur Connor (April 13, natural causes, age 95): legendary fiddle maker whose instruments were preferred by the likes of Ricky Skaggs.  He also had his own bluegrass band, the Connor Brothers.

J.T. Corenflos (October 24, pneumonia, age 56): widely-used guitarist who began as a member of Jean Shepard's backing band and went on to award-winning work as a session man.

*Charlie Daniels (July 6, stroke, age 83): Country Music Hall of Fame member who was active for seven decades as a producer, session man, and chart-topping performer in country and southern rock.

Chris Darrow (January 15, stroke, age 75): pioneering country-rock  multi-instrumentalist who worked with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and in Linda Ronstadt's early pre-Eagles backing band.

Mac Davis (September 29, complications of heart surgery, age 78): gifted Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member who served as songwriter (Elvis' "In the Ghetto"), actor (North Dallas Forty), and singer who entertained country and pop audiences in the 70s and 80s.

Tony DeBoer (May 20, brain aneurysm, age 81): the "grandfather of Canadian bluegrass" who founded the River Valley Music Park for bluegrass festivals in Ontario.

John Denny (July 21, Alzheimer's disease, age 79): the son of Hall of Fame member Jim Denny was in charge of Cedarwood Publishing for years.  He also owned Denny's Den studio and was a founding member of R.O.P.E. (Reunion Of Professional Entertainers).  His widow, Pandora, died a month later.

Joe Diffie (March 29, COVID-19, age 61): one of the “no hat” country stars of the 90s whose hits included “If the Devil Danced (In Empty Pockets)” and “New Way (To Light Up an Old Flame).”

Carl Dobkins Jr. (April 8, unknown cause, age 79): Rockabilly Hall of Fame singer whose biggest hit was 1959's "My Heart Is an Open Book."

Rick Durrett (October 6, unknown cause, age 75): a member of the rock band Coven (of "One Tin Soldier" fame) who later became the keyboard player for Crystal Gaylle's band.

Justin Townes Earle (August 20, accidental drug overdose, age 38): the award-winning, critically-acclaimed Americana singer/songwriter was also the son of Steve Earle.

Paul English (February 12, pneumonia, age 87): Willie Nelson’s longtime drummer and the “Paul” in Willie’s song “Me and Paul.”

Randy Frazier (June 19, long illness, age 60): musician who played with McBride and the Ride and Sammy Kershaw. 

Bryan Wayne Galentine (October 22, ALS, age 53): songwriter who composed modern hits such as Chris Cagle's "Country By the Grace of God" and Tommy Shane Steiner's "What If She's an Angel."

Benny Garcia (May 7, pancreatic cancer, age 64): longtime guitar technician for Vince Gill.

Steve Gulley (August 18, pancreatic cancer, age 57): well-loved bluegrass musician who co-founded the band Mountain Heart after a stint with Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver.

Joe Halterman (February 11, unknown cause, age 69): drummer for a number of stars, including Bob Luman, and co-writer of the 1983 Whites hit "I Wonder Who's Holding My Baby Tonight."

James Hand (June 8, heart failure, age 67): traditional country and Ameripolitan star, Ameripolitan "male vocalist" award winner, and the man who traditionally opened the Ameripolitan Awards program with his pure honky tonk music.

Alex Harvey (April 4, unknown cause, age 73): songwriter who gave us such massive hits as "Delta Dawn" (Tayna Tucker), "Reuben James" (Kenny Rogers & the First Edition), and "Rings" (Tompall & the Glaser Brothers).

Roy Head (September 21, heart attack, age 79): Rockabilly Hall of Fame member who wrote and originally recorded "Treat Her Right," a song that was later covered by the likes of Billy "Crash" Craddock and Barbara Mandrell.

Jimmy Henley (March 22, throat cancer, age 56): Tulsa-based bluegrass banjo player who got his start playing with Roy Clark on Hee Haw.

W.S. "Fluke" Holland (September 23, short illness, age 85): original drummer in Johnny Cash's Tennessee Three who also worked with a wide variety of acts from Johnny Horton to Dale Watson.

Robb Houston (March 16, ALS, age 57): guitarist who worked for Randy Travis, Brothers Phelps, and on the TV series Nashville Star.

Jan Howard (March 28, natural causes, age 91): "Grand Lady of the Grand Ole Opry" country singer with a career that began with her singing then-husband Harlan Howard's songs for demos and blossomed into a career that included hits with Wynn Stewart, Bill Anderson, and solo success.

Kenny Ingram (July 26, stroke, age 67): much-loved banjo player who began as a member of Lester Flatt's Nashville Grass and went on to perform with Rhonda Vincent & the Rage, Larry Stephenson, and over 200 different recordings.

Teddy Irwin (November 5, unknown cause, age 77): multifaceted session guitarist whose list of credits run from John Lennon to Randy Travis.

Wade Jackson (January 14, complications of a stroke, age 90): singer and songwriter whose lasting legacy is the Stonewall Jackson hit "Don't Be Angry."

Joe Johnson (December 22, natural causes, age 93): co-founder of the Academy of Country Music (ACM) and longtime figure in country music at labels such as Four Star, Challenge, and Columbia.

Larry W. Johnson (June 12, cancer, age 69): co-writer of Tim McGraw's first hit, "Don't Take the Girl."  The song's other writer, Craig Martin, also died this year.

Troy Jones (September 11, electrocuted, age 64): songwriter best-known for Billy Currington's "People Are Crazy."

John B. Kaparakis (April 12, unknown cause, age 82): bluegrass guitarist who worked with the Lonesome River Boys, Hazel Dickens, and Kenny Baker.  He was also a journalist at Bluegrass Unlimited. 

Ramsey Kearney (March 14, unknown cause, age 86): songwriter whose best-known work was "Emotions," which he co-wrote with Mel Tillis. 

Susan Keel (November 20, unknown cause, age 58): Nashville PR agent whose clients ranged from the Tennessee Titans to Ray Stevens.

Dan Kelly (July 22, heart attack, age 54): fiddler in the Tennessee Mafia Jug Band.

Benjamin Keough (July 12, suicide [gunshot], age 27): the grandson of Elvis Presley.

Stan Kesler (October 26, unknown cause, age 92): Sun Records studio musician and songwriter whose credits include "I Forgot to Remember to Forget" and "I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone."

Hal Ketchum (November 23, dementia, age 67): country singer with a string of hit singles in the 80s and 90s, including "Small Town Saturday Night," "Mama Knows the Highway," and "Past the Point of Rescue."

Thom King (April 24, heart attack, age 65): Nashville-based photographer and journalist whose works included co-writing Danny Davis' memoir Guess Who I Met Today! 

Bob Loflin (November 16, unknown cause, age 91): former DJ at WSM and announcer on the Grand Ole Opry who also did interviews for the syndicated radio program Country Crossroads. 

Sonny Lonas (June 30, unknown cause, age 81): Virginia-based drummer who followed Patsy Cline to Nashville and later drummed for Ernest Tubb.

Jim Lusk (April 25, unknown cause, age 80): front man of Jim Lusk and the Counterfeit Cowboys and songwriter of "It Started All Over Again" by Vern Gosdin.

Bill Mack (July 31, COVID-19, age 91): Country Music DJ Hall of Fame member whose "Midnight Cowboy" radio show kept long-haul truck drivers company on overnight runs for decades.  He also wrote the hits "Drinking Champagne" and "Blue."

Carl Mann (December 15, unknown cause, age 78): rockabilly member of the Sun Records roster in the late 50s, best-known for his rockabilly rendition of "Mona Lisa."

Marty Martel (March 29, unknown cause, age 81): former manager for Johnny Paycheck and the booking agent for the "Legends Fest" concerts for country greats.

Craig Martin (July 3, unknown cause, age 52): co-writer of Tim McGraw's breakthrough hit "Don't Take the Girl."  The song's other writer, Larry W. Johnson, also passed away this year.

Kirke Martin (December 16, cancer, age 70): manager for music acts ranging from the Dirt Band and T. Graham Brown to numerous contemporary Christian bands.

Lynsey McDonald (November 23, multiple myeloma, age 58): co-founder of the "Music City Roots" program and Americana/alt-country executive working in the careers of Jason & the Scorchers, Robbie Fulks, Deanna Carter, and Todd Snider.

Bill McEuen (September 24, unknown cause, age 79): the brother of Nitty Gritty Dirt Band co-founder John McEuen, he served as the producer for the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, including the legendary album Will the Circle Be Unbroken.  He was also Steve Martin's manager in Martin's stand-up comedy days.

Gary McSpadden (April 15, pancreatic cancer, age 77): gospel singer and songwriter who was a member of the gospel-era Oak Ridge Quartet.

Edward "Felix" McTeigue (July 24, post-surgery complications, age 48): producer and songwriter whose credits included the #1 Florida-Georgia Line song "Anything Goes."

Joe Meador (October 21, Lewy body dementia, age 73): manager for Ronnie McDowell and co-writer of McDowell's hits "All Tied Up," "Never Too Old to Rock and Roll," and "Lovin' That Crazy Feeling."

Walter C. Miller (November 13, pneumonia, age 94): producer of numerous television music specials, including a 35-year stint as producer of the CMA Awards program.

Bonnie Lou Moore (September 21, natural causes, age 91): half of the Knoxville-based radio, recording, and TV country and gospel duet "Bonnie Lou and Buster."

Jamie Oldaker (July 16, cancer, age 68): multi-genre drummer who played in the Tractors and worked with other acts as diverse as Eric Clapton, Bob Seger, Willie Nelson, and Asleep At the Wheel.

David Olney (January 18, heart attack, age 71): much-loved Americana singer/songwriter whose songs were covered by acts such as Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt.  Olney suffered a fatal heart attack onstage during a performance at the 30A Festival in Florida.

K.T. Oslin (December 21, COVID-19/Parkinson's disease, age 78): Grammy-winning "late-blooming" singer/songwriter whose first major hit "80s Ladies" came when she was 46 years old.

Charles "Fuzzy" Owen (May 11, kidney failure, age 91): one of the mainstays of the Bakersfield Sound, working with many of the then-unknown performers such as Merle Haggard and Buck Owens.  He was also a songwriter, having penned Ray Price's "The Same Old Me" and the classic "A Dear John Letter" by Ferlin Husky and Jean Shepard.

Jim Owen (March 7, unknown cause, age 78): songwriter whose best-known compositions include "Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man" and Jim Ed Brown's hit "Southern Loving."

Ira Parker (January 24, unknown cause, age 63): hairstylist and personal assistant for Dolly Parton.

Little Richard Penniman (May 9, bone cancer, age 87): the "architect of rock and roll" touched all genres of music, including country thanks to Waylon Jennings' hit cover of "Lucille."

Ray Pennington (October 7, house fire, age 86): country songwriter whose list of credits include the Waylon Jennings classic "I'm a Ramblin' Man."

Knox Phillips (April 15, cancer, age 74): the son of the legendary Sam Phillips was also a well-respected producer who worked with the likes of John Prine, Jerry Lee Lewis, the Amazing Rhythm Aces, and Willie Nelson.

Bonnie Pointer (June 8, cardiac arrest, age 69): a member of the legendary R&B group the Pointer Sisters, she wrote the 1974 country crossover and Grammy-winning hit "Fairytale" in tribute to her love for country music.

*Charley Pride (December 12, COVID-19, age 86): Country Music Hall of Fame country singer who had an impressive string of top ten hits from 1967 to 1984, including the crossover hit "Kiss An Angel Good Mornin'." 

John Prine (April 7, COVID-19, age 73): Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member who knew his way around three chords and phrases better than just about anyone in his generation.

Bill Pursell (September 3, COVID-related pneumonia, age 94): songwriter ("Our Winter Love") and much in-demand session piano player for most of the country acts in the 60s through 80s.

John Ragsdale (March 25, fall, age 75): brother of Hall of Fame member Ray Stevens who worked as song co-writer, emcee, and business manager.

Glenn Ray (June 11, unknown cause, age 82): songwriter whose biggest success was "I Just Came Home to Count the Memories," a hit for Bobby Wright, Cal Smith, and John Anderson over the years.

Ellen Reeves (September 15, unknown cause, age 87): the widow of country star Del Reeves and songwriter behind Rose Maddox's hit "Sing a Little Song of Heartache." 

*Harold Reid (April 24, kidney failure, age 80): the bass singer and main comedian for the Statler Brothers.  He also was Lester “Roadhog” Moran in that classic spoof of small-town radio shows.

Tony Rice (December 25, unknown cause, age 69): Bluegrass Hall of Fame guitarist and singer who influenced generations of bluegrass guitarists who came after him.

Dave Rich (March 18, unknown cause, age 84): Rockabilly Hall of Fame singer whose career in country music was minimal but very significant, thanks to his recording of Bill Anderson's song "City Lights."

*Kenny Rogers (March 20, cancer, age 81): Country Music Hall of Fame singer whose career spanned seven decades and covered the genres of country, pop, and rock.

Alan Schulman (June 24, unknown cause, age 66): Muscle Shoals-based Grammy-winning recording engineer who worked with the likes of Ricky Skaggs, Alabama, and Ronnie Milsap.

Eddie Setser (January 17, unknown cause, age 77): songwriter whose greatest claim to fame was co-writing the Willie Nelson/Ray Charles duet "Seven Spanish Angels."

Bob Shane (January 26, pneumonia, age 85): the last original member of the folk group the Kingston Trio, whose "Tom Dooley" won the first country music Grammy award in 1958.

Billy Joe Shaver (October 28, stroke, age 81): legendary Texas “outlaw” country singer and songwriter whose contributions to the country songbook included “Ride Me Down Easy,” “I’m Just an Old Chunk of Coal,” and “Honky Tonk Heroes.”

Lucille Starr (September 4, unknown cause, age 82): Canadian country music singer whose "The French Song" was a hit in both Canada and the US. 

Doug Supernaw (November 13, bladder and lung cancer, age 60): 90s country singer with a string of hits including “I Don’t Call Him Daddy” and “Reno.”

Gary Walker (July 8, unknown cause, age 87): songwriter behind hits such as Carl Smith's "Trademark" and Jim Reeves' "According to My Heart."  Later operated Nashville's legendary used record store the Great Escape.

Jerry Jeff Walker (October 23, throat cancer, age 78): “gonzo” country great who wrote the classic “Mr. Bojangles” and was an “outlaw” in country before it was cool.

Eric Weissberg (March 22, Alzheimer's disease, age 80): musician whose recording of "Deuling Banjoes" was featured in the movie Deliverance and became an international hit.

Wanda White (December 15, natural causes, age 87): WNOX Midday Merry-Go-Round performer who also performed on the Opry as a member of Carlton Scruggs and the Down Home Folks.

Dick Whitehouse (January 14, cause and age unknown): longtime Curb Records executive who helped get acts such as Lyle Lovett, Junior Brown, and Sawyer Brown on the label.

Katherine Williams-Dunning (June 13, car wreck, age 27): daughter of Hank Williams Jr., and sister to singers Hank III and Holly Williams.

Farewell, and thank you for the music.

TNS Video History - Hal Ketchum - "Past the Point of Rescue"

Beloved Singer/Songwriter Hal Ketchum Passes Away At Age 67

Beloved singer/songwriter of “Small Town Saturday Night,” Hal Ketchum, passed away on Monday night as a result of complications from dementia. His wife Andrea confirmed the news on Facebook Tuesday.

Through his father, Hal knew the music of country legends Marty Robbins and Patsy Cline. As a youth, he even joined Buck Owens’ fan club. Hal started playing drums at age 15, though he later switched to guitar. Although he enjoyed music, he spent nearly 20 years as a carpenter and furniture builder before getting his break in the music business.

In 1981, Hal left New York for Austin, Texas, and honed his songwriting skills in that town’s clubs. He released 10 of his songs on a 1986 album called Threadbare Alibis. At the same time, he began making trips from Austin to Nashville.

Hal eventually signed a publishing contract that led to a record deal with Curb Records. In 1991, the single “Small Town Saturday Night” launched him to stardom. Radio & Records magazine named it the No. 1 Single of the Year, and Music Row magazine called it the year’s breakthrough video. The song also helped Hal’s debut album, Past the Point of Rescue, achieve gold status.

By the time Hal joined the Opry, he had an impressive catalog of hits, including “Past the Point of Rescue,” “Sure Love,” “Mama Knows the Highway,” and “Hearts Are Gonna Roll.” Hal also had a hit with a cover of “Five O’Clock World,” a 1965 pop hit for the Vogues that had been written by Hal’s producer, Allen Reynolds.

An established painter, Hal’s work has been shown in Santa Fe, New Mexico’s esteemed Pena Gallery, where he had a successful art show opening in 2002. He was also a master carpenter who liked to make toys. He was a true artisan and a musician’s musician. 

Hal's wife announced the dementia diagnosis in April of 2019.

“Dementia is an exhausting and confusing illness and now it’s time for Hal to stay home with loved ones,” Andrea said. “Hal is otherwise healthy and happy, enjoying time with his family and friends. We all deeply appreciate how much love that you all have for Hal and how much his music means to you! Also, a heartfelt thank you to all the incredible musicians that have joined him on this journey, with more than special love to Kenny Grimes, without whom, this last year of shows would not have been possible.”

Ketchum was 67.

Sold Out Tribute-Benefit Show At Historic Gruene Hall To Hal Ketchum A Celebrated Texas All-Star Success

A sold-out tribute-benefit show Sunday in New Braunfels celebrated Hal Ketchum and acted as a fundraiser to his medical needs to help him fight Alzheimer’s.  The celebration at Gruene Hall was titled “Raised by Wolves: Bound for Glory — A Texas Tribute to Hal Ketchum.”

Those that appeared in the show included Walt Wilkins, Jamie Lin Wilson, Wade Bowen, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Slaid Cleaves, Jesse Dayton, Lee Roy Parnell, Randy Rogers, Bruce Robison, Kelly Wills, Kevin Fowler and more.

A GoFundMe has been started on behalf of the singer-songwriter to help with mounting medical costs and living expenses. “Hal dedicated his life to writing, singing, and performing for his fans worldwide,” reads the post on the crowd-funding site. “He’s played hundreds of benefits, supporting causes and those in need. Any help that you can give Hal and his family is graciously appreciated, whether it’s a dollar or ten, it doesn’t matter. All donations go to the Hal Ketchum Medical Fund.”

And while most of the country may have missed the incredible dedication to their friend down in Texas this past weekend, you can watch the concert in its entirety below. 

Sick Call: Hal Ketchum Diagnosed With Alzheimer's Disease

Sad news made its way across the country music world as Hal Ketchum's wife Andrea made a social media post that her husband is battling the effects of Alzheimer's disease and is no longer capable of going out and performing live. As a result, no future shows have been booked and he will retire from the road.

Ketchum, 66, released his debut album, Past the Point of Rescue, in 1991 and is probably best known for his iconic hit "Small Town Saturday Night" and his longtime membership in the Grand Ole Opry.  In 1998 he was diagnosed with acute transverse myelitis, which left him without the use of the left side of his body. He eventually recovered enough to revive his musical career until 2008, when he decided to retire. Much to fans' delight, he decided to take things up again in 2014, releasing an album and scheduling tour dates. His tour activity has slowed dramatically, spurring fans' concern and his wife's eventual revelation of his diagnosis.

The post is below. In it, Andrea states, "Dementia is an exhausting and confusing illness and now it's time for Hal to stay home with loved ones. Hal is otherwise healthy and happy, enjoying time with his family and friends."

TNS Video History- Hal Ketchum- "Stay Forever"

That Nashville Sound’s Top 100 (and something) Songs of 2014

2014 was another fabulous year of country music. Traditional country, bluegrass, modern country and Americana were all represented well and this list proves that out- we’ve cast a wide net over that definition of roots-oriented music.

Here are the rules by which this list was selected. It had to be released off an album that was released in 2014 or is an already-released single off a to-be-released album. If the album came out in 2013 or before, it couldn’t be included- even if it wasn't released as a single until 2014.

Let us hear what you think. Anything we missed? Without further ado, here is That Nashville Sound’s Top 100 (and something) Songs of 2014.

1.       Emily West- “Made for the Radio”

After being rung through the ringer by Capitol Records Nashville earlier this decade, it would make sense that Miss West would feel like giving the big music labels the finger for not allowing her to follow her muse and sing the music she felt compelled to release. So she set to music one of the most profound statement songs of the year, describing the “vacant black hole hearts” of the label heads that are “f***ing the next star.” The magic of the song isn’t that it’s just a call-out of those she felt did her wrong. It’s a statement that she’s found a new career compass and following it down her own yellow brick road (which just happens to be the name of her own label she’s releasing music on.)  If there’s one song on this Iist that I can implore you to go to i-Tunes and purchase right now, it’s this one right here. It’s passionately compelling and personal songwriting at its very best. She received Karmatically-charged justice in finishing second in America’s Got Talent in the second half of the year and earning a new record deal with Sony.

2. Chris Stapleton- “Go ‘N Down”

Unless you’re a fan of the first two Steeldrivers albums or accidently came across a little indie album from an act called the Jompson Brothers, Stapleton’s impact on your consciousness will be only from his radio release of “What Are You Listening To?” this last year that dented the charts.On “Go ‘N Down”, his magical throaty vocals deliver a fantastic western-themed story song that was on Kix Brooks’ soundtrack for Ambush at Dark Canyon, a straight to DVD/Blu-Ray movie released in January of this year. The delivery is fantastic, the lyrics are magic, describing” looking for redemption down the barrel of a gun. Go’n down where no mercy can be found and you pay for what you done with your soul.” Penned by Kix Brooks himself.

3. Don Williams- “I’ll Be Here in the Morning”

Country music’s “Gentle Giant” and one of the newest Country Music Hall of Fame members proves he’s still as powerful of a deliveryman with this cover of a 1968 Townes Van Zandt song. It’s a throwback in a modern way… which I guess is saying that it is as classic as anything he’s released over the years.

4.  Ronnie Dunn- “I Wished I Still Smoked Cigarettes”

If you haven’t heard this one, be rest-assured it is anything but a commercial for Marlboro. Dunn plaintively performs a great Lori McKenna co-penned track that longs for the days in which he could do things before consequences, before he knew better. This was released to radio as a single, further proving that “the FM machine” is overlooking quality contemplative songwriting for stuff that generically appeals to the masses. This is a great one that only adds to Dunn’s long legacy in country music.

5. Hal Ketchum- “I’m the Troubadour”

Illness and the end of a long Curb Records contract extinguished Ketchum’s spark for making music for much too long until he released this great title track off an equally excellent project. "I just kind of lost my powder for a while," said Ketchum in an interview to Billboard. "I just didn't feel like playing or writing. One day I just said, 'This is a gift that God has given me, so I better get back to it. It's an amazing gift to be able to come back this strong. I feel like it's the best record I've ever made." We agree.

6. Jason Eady- “Daylight and Dark”

Born in the Mississippi Delta, Eady has never been able to shake that soulful sound that flows through his veins like the river so famous down there. Even a short stint in Nashville where the powers that be wanted to commercialize his sound couldn’t have an effect. Now the Texas transplant has found his natural home and this deep and dark story born out of lost love just rips your heart out in the very best of ways. The title track of his outstanding album utilizes incredibly mellow production that only takes a backseat to a lyrical beatdown on the heart.

7. Eric Paslay- “Less Than Whole”

Outside of the Peach Pickers, the songwriter most in demand just might be this tall lanky redhead, Eric Paslay. This track was the standout on a strong debut album and deals with the challenges of self-esteem and the pressure of living with a feeling “of being less than whole.” It’s a great message song and Paslay showcases his great vocals on the track.

8. Eric Church- “Cold One”

On a roller-coaster album with its fair share of hits and misses, Church delivers a rousing one for the ages on “Cold One.” It’s a simple message: An analogy of his girlfriend stealing his cold beer and walking away with his heart. But it’s the production on this one that steals the show. The guitar work at the chorus is a main focus and the whole thing descends into jam chaos at the end. And yet somehow it works perfect.

10. Radney Foster- “Not In My House”

Foster used a profound conversation about a fellow student using a slur in his daughter’s 5th grade class as fodder on this powerful song that would eventually include references to racist and homophobic slurs as well. “I’m going to sing for th souls who get kicked around/ Words aren’t a weapon just to put you down.” For a southern man who witnessed what hate could produce first-hand, it’s a delivery and message that is all the more believable when Foster has earned some of that grey hair that has adorned his head for so long.

11. Drew Kennedy and Lori McKenna- “Rose of Jericho”

This song was released on both McKenna and Kennedy’s projects this year and both are equally excellent. Says McKenna about the genesis of the track, “This song started early one morning – the 2nd day of a two-day writing run with the incredible Drew Kennedy.  The first verse seemed to throw itself at me and then I hit a wall and didn’t understand what it wanted.  Drew came in – and mentioned that he wanted to write a song called “Rose Of Jericho”.  And somehow those two separate thoughts found one another and seemed to get along pretty well.”

12. Will Hoge- “Middle of America”

Hoge cowrote the song with Jessi Alexander and Tommy Lee James, and he was planning on shopping the song to other country artists before his producer Marshall Altman convinced him otherwise. “I wasn’t expecting to write a song for me,” Hoge told Rolling Stone Country. “We were just trying to write a great song, and as it went on, I started getting more and more attached to it. There’s always that moment of, ‘Do I want to keep this song for myself because I think it’s really great, or do I want to send it to Blake Shelton and make a whole bunch of money off of it? Maybe he’ll want it.’ It’s a strange place to be, but I’m pragmatic enough to know that sometimes that’s the right play.”

Better Than the Rest (#’s 13 through 53)

Cody Johnson- “Never Go Home Again”
The Whistles & the Bells- “Transistor Resistor”
Ray Benson & Willie Nelson- “It Ain’t You”
Jason Eady- “Whiskey & You”
Deana Carter- “I Know Better”
Dierks Bentley- “Damn These Dreams”
Matt Andersen- “So Easy”
David Nail- “The Secret”
David Nail (featuring Little Big Town)- “When They’re Gone (Lyle County)”
Reagan Boggs & Dave Coleman- “You Deserve Better”
Sara Evans (featuring Vince Gill)- “Better Off”
Jimmy Rankin- “Build This House”
Johnny Cash- “Out Among the Stars”
Becky Schlegel- “Opry Lullaby”
Rodney Crowell- “Famous Last Words of a Fool in Love”
Sunny Sweeney- “Bad Girl Phase”
Clare Bowen- “Come Find Me”
Dolly Parton- “Try”
Bryan White- “What I Already Know”
Jessica Andrews- “The Clown”
Lee Ann Womack- “Send It on Down”

The Pfeiffer Twins- “Don’t Blow the Whistle”
Carolina Story- “The Stranger”
Maddie & Tae- “Girl in a Country Song”
Sunny Sweeney- “Front Row Seats”
Marc Broussard- “A Life Worth Living”
Marty Stuart- “Life Has Its Ups and Downs”
Joel Crouse- “Don’t Tell Me”
Drew Kennedy- “Sleeping Alone”
Little Big Town- “Live Forever”
Dustin Lynch- “Your Daddy’s Boots”
Cahalen Morrison and Country Hammer- “The Flower of Muscle Shoals”
Blake Shelton- “Neon Light”
Blake Shelton- “Good Country Song”
Bob Seger- “Gates of Eden”
Angaleena Presley- “Grocery Store”
John Mellencamp- “Company of Cowards”
Brothers Osborne- “Stay a Little Longer”
James Carothers- “Where Did We Come From?”
Garth Brooks- “Tacoma”
Garth Brooks- “Send Em’ On Down the Road”
 
Best of the Rest (#’s 54 through 130):
Jason Eady- “Lonesome Down and Out”
Los Lonely Boys- “Blame it on Love”
Jimbo Mathus & the Tri-State Coalition- “Tallahatchie”
Curtis Grimes- “Better Off”
Rhonda Vincent- “Bright Lights and Country Music”
Rhonda Vincent- “When the Grass Grows Over Me”
Cody Johnson- “Cowboy Like Me”
Cody Johnson- “Holes”
Eli Young Band- “What Does”
Randy Houser- “High in the Saddle (Can’t Kill a Memory)”
Rosanne Cash- “World of Strange Design”
David Crosby- “The Clearing”
Dierks Bentley- “Riser”
Reagan Boggs- “Appalachia”
Reagan Boggs- “Seldom Do”
Matt Andersen- “What Will You Leave”
Don Williams- “The Answer”
Don Williams- “Stronger Back”
Ronnie Milsap and Mandy Barnett- “You Make Me Feel Brand New”
Tattletale Saints- “Molly”
Tebey- “Music Man”
Tebey- “Wake Me Up”
Dirty Guvnahs- “Ever Start To Wonder”
Dirty Guvnahs- “Canyons”
Jimmy Rankin (featuring Alison Krauss)- “Flames”
Johnny Cash (featuring Minnie Pearl)- “If I Told You Who It Was”
NickelCreek- “Hayloft”
Ronnie Dunn- “You Should See You Now”
Charles Esten and Lennon and Maisy- “Believing”
Clare Bowen- “Black Roses”
Kelsey Waldon- “High In Heels”
Hunter Hayes- “Invisible”
Kira Isabella- “Quarterback”
Dolly Parton- “Lay Your Hands On Me”
Miranda Lambert- “Babies Makin’ Babies”
Miranda Lambert- “Priscilla”
Miranda Lambert- “Another Sunday in the South”
Lee Ann Womack- “Sleeping with the Devil”
Radney Foster- “California”
Brad Paisley- “River Bank”
Corb Lund- “Counterfeit Blues”
Kenny Chesney- “American Kids”
Mary Sarah- “I’m Sorry”
Kelly Mickwee- “Hotel Jackson”
Matt Harlan- “Old Allen Road”
Sunny Sweeney and Will Hoge- “My Bed”
Jesse Brewster- “Innocent Sinners”
Jesse Winchester- “Ghosts”
Rose’s Pawn Shop- “Don’t Let Me Down”
Joel Crouse- “I Never Said I Was In Love”
Casey Berry- “Blood of the Lamb”
Glen Templeton- “Let Her Go”
Brad Paisley- “High Life”
Brad Paisley- “Country Nation”
Lee Brice- “Panama City”
Little Big Town- “Painkiller”
Dustin Lynch- “Middle of Nowhere”
Tim McGraw- “Sick of Me”
Kenny Chesney- “If This Bus Could Talk”
Trisha Yearwood and Kelly Clarkson- “Prizefighter”
Josh Abbott Band- “Blush”
Lori McKenna- “Numbered Doors”
Lori McKenna- “God Never Made One of Us to be Alone”
Lori McKenna- “Three Kids, No Husband”
Lady Antebellum- “Damn You Seventeen”
Lady Antebellum- “747”
John Mellencamp- “The Brass Ring”
John Mellencamp- “Lawless Times”
Brothers Osborne- “Rum”
Brothers Osborne- “Arms of Fire”
Bob Seger- “All of the Roads”
Jason Aldean- “Tryin’ To Love Me”
Stoney LaRue- “Aviator”
The Swon Brothers- “This Side of Heaven”
Garth Brooks- “Mom”
Garth Brooks- “All American Kid”
Ray Scott- “Ain’t Always Thirsty”

Hal Ketchum Returns With Genre-Pushing New Album 'I'm The Troubadour' Out October 7

"I had pretty much thrown in the towel. I wasn't interested in putting out another big country album. I've done that. I've been there, man," says chart-topping legend and Grand Ole Opry member Hal Ketchum, describing his recent five-year respite from the music industry.

Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis fifteen years ago, the symptoms were starting to catch up with Ketchum, who is now 61 years old. "I went through some really serious bouts of paralysis, blindness and the fear that goes with all of that. I was in kind of a dark place," he says. "I didn't write, didn’t perform. I was just laying low, living in a cabin out in Wimberley, TX."

After focusing on his health for several years, his strength began to return, but Ketchum soon realized he would never really be himself without returning to his lifelong art form. "I came to the realization that I had gotten to this deep level of depression, and I finally said to myself, 'I can still do this. I can still write.'"

Ketchum began to write again, jotting down song ideas in the notebook he carries with him at all times. "The key for me was getting up every morning and having something real to do. Some days, my hands don't work as well as they should, I'll get a little wobbly on occasion, but I just keep going."

Soon, he had a handful of songs and demos, which he sent out to friends in the music industry. "I wasn't really planning on doing another album," says Ketchum, who has produced fifteen Top 10 singles and sold more than five million albums in his career. "The whole Nashville scene is extremely competitive. You're as good as your last record. People are always showing you spreadsheets on how much money you owe for videos and tour support and everything else. I think there's a certain level of resentment that comes with that."

But when Jimmy LaFave and Kelcy Warren of the small Austin, TX label Music Road Records heard his songs, they knew they had to convince Ketchum to write another album. "We had a great talk, and they said 'Hal, you've made these great country records, but we really want to challenge you to reach outside of your comfort zone and write from your heart," Ketchum recalls. "So that was my goal."

The result is Hal Ketchum's first full-length studio release in 6 years, 'I'm The Troubadour,' out October 7 on Music Road Records. In contrast to the pure country hits he's famous for, 'I'm The Troubadour' finds Ketchum letting his songwriting expand into folk, blues, rock and soul.

According to Ketchum, he's had this musical renaissance in him all along. "I like to say that I've been successfully misunderstood for 30 years. I mean, I was a cabinet maker from Gruene, TX. I got a record deal and I had a number one record out of the box, and suddenly I was a 'country' singer," he says. "The genre served me very well, and I'm really grateful for the opportunities that the country music world brought to me. But creatively, this record was a really beautiful departure for me. It's really opened me up again"

Ketchum still loves country music, and has no problem playing the hits for his fans. "It's an honor," he says. But the freedom of working with Music Road Records, without genre restrictions and commercial pressure, has given him new life. "I think it's going to be refreshing for people who haven't heard me in a while to know that the old man's still swingin'."

"My mother put a great poem on my wall when I was a little kid called 'Keep a-Goin'. It went -

Ain't no use to sit and whine, 'cause the fish ain't on your line,
bait your hook and keep a-tryin', keep a-goin'.

"So that's become my motto," Ketchum says. "Just keep going."