New Music Video From Lee Brice - "When The Kingdom Comes"

New Music Video From Lee Brice - "Killed The Man"

New Music Video From Colbie Caillat & Lee Brice - "Kinda Single"

That Nashville Sound's Top Country And Americana Songs For 2023

Ghost Hounds - "Last Train To Nowhere"

2023 has been an exceptional year for country music, showcasing a rich blend of styles including traditional country, bluegrass, modern country, and Americana. This diversity in roots-oriented music is clearly evident in our annual list, reflecting the wide-ranging appeal of the genre.

We're excited to soon reveal our top albums of 2023, but for now, we're focusing on the songs that captured our hearts this year. Many of these tracks may not be mainstream radio hits, but their quality and impact are undeniable, especially for regular followers of our site.

Our selection criteria for this list were strict. Each song had to either be from an album released in 2023, be an independent single not associated with any other project, or be a pre-released single from an upcoming album. We excluded any tracks from albums released in 2022 or earlier, regardless of their single release date in 2023.

Reflecting on the past years, we've encountered numerous songs that deeply resonated with us:

2022: Lyle Lovett - "12th of June"

2021: Jason Eady - "French Summer Sun"

2020: Mickey Guyton - "What Are You Gonna Tell Her?"

2019: Erin Enderlin - "Broken"

2018: Ashley McBryde - “Girl Goin’ Nowhere”

2017: Sunny Sweeney – “Bottle By My Bed”

2016: Jack Ingram - "The Sailor and the Sea"

2015: Chris Stapleton - "Tennessee Whiskey"

2014: Emily West - "Made for the Radio"

2013: Kacey Musgraves - "Follow Your Arrow"

2012: Waylon Jennings - "I Do Believe"

2011: Ronnie Dunn - "Cost of Livin'"

2010: Joe Diffie - "Route 5 Box 109"

2009: Dean Brody - "Cattleman's Gun"

2008: Jamey Johnson - "In Color"

2007: Miranda Lambert - "Gunpowder and Lead"

2006: Johnny Cash – “God’s Gonna Cut You Down”

Now, let's dive into the songs from 2023 that truly stood out:

1. Ghost Hounds - "Last Train To Nowhere": This song captures a haunting blend of blues and rock, infused with a sense of nostalgia and longing. Its powerful lyrics and compelling melody create an atmosphere of a timeless journey. It's a roller-coaster of a performance and an awesome wild ride that provided a level of infectious energy that was superior to everything else had in our ears this year. 

2. Zach Bryan and Kacey Musgraves - "I Remember Everything": A beautiful duet that showcases the incredible vocal chemistry between Bryan and Musgraves. The song's poignant lyrics and delicate instrumentation make it a heartfelt reflection on memory and loss.

3. Chris Stapleton - "White Horse": Stapleton's rich, soulful voice brings a raw emotional depth to this song. Its stirring narrative and the fusion of traditional and contemporary country elements demonstrate his exceptional songwriting skills.

4. Anne Wilson - "Seventh of June": Wilson's angelic voice and the song's gentle acoustic arrangement create a touching and intimate listening experience. It's a tender ode to love and the beauty of simple, enduring moments- with introspective lyrics that will slay you. I won't spoil the storyline, but trust me, listen to this with an open heart and keep the tissues nearby. 

5. Lori McKenna - "Killing Me" (ft Hillary Lindsey): McKenna and Lindsey's harmonies blend seamlessly, elevating the song's emotional impact. The narrative storytelling and poignant lyrics explore the complexities of relationships and the pain of love.

6. Ernest - "Takes After You": This song stands out for its heartfelt lyrics and Ernest's expressive vocal delivery. It's a touching tribute to family and the lasting influence of loved ones, set against a backdrop of warm, traditional country instrumentation.

7. Jamie Lin Wilson & Courtney Patton - "Hard Time Lately": A song that perfectly captures the struggles of everyday life with its honest lyrics and resonant harmonies. The blend of Wilson and Patton's voices adds a layer of authenticity and depth.

8. Julie Williams - "The Prince": Williams brings a unique storytelling ability to this song, weaving a narrative that is incredibly poignant about the topic of consent and what it means in a sexual relationship- and the impact that it can have from the decisions therein. The song's lush instrumentation and her expressive voice create a fairy-tale-like ambiance.

9. Lee Brice - "Save The Roses": Brice's soulful voice and the song's reflective lyrics make it a standout. It's a moving piece about cherishing moments with loved ones, underscored by its rich, melodic arrangement.

10. Oliver Anthony - "Rich Men North of Richmond":  This song was a revelation this year, finding an incredibly large audience organically from its messaging. Anthony's songwriting shines in this track, which tells a compelling story set against the backdrop of Americana. The song's vivid imagery and engaging melody capture the essence of storytelling in country music.

11. Carly Pearce - "We Don't Fight Anymore" (ft. Chris Stapleton): Pearce and Stapleton's duet is a powerful exploration of the complexities of a fading relationship. Their harmonies and the emotional depth of the lyrics make this song a poignant and memorable ballad.

12. Jelly Roll & Lainey Wilson - "Save Me": This collaboration is a testament to the transformative power of music. The raw honesty in the lyrics, combined with Jelly Roll and Wilson's heartfelt and passionate delivery, creates an anthem of hope and redemption.

New Music Video From Lee Brice - "Santa Claus Was My Uber Driver"

New Music Video From Lee Brice - "Save The Roses"

New Music Video From Lee Brice - "Farmer"

Eric Church, Luke Combs and Maren Morris Among The 54th Annual CMA Awards Big Winners

It was a celebration of country music during The 54th Annual Country Music Association Awards on Wednesday night in Nashville, Tennessee. 

The Reba McEntire and Darius Rucker hosted ceremony kicked off with an emotional tribute to country great Charlie Daniels, who unexpectedly died in July of a hemorrhagic stroke. Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley, Brothers Osborne and Ashley McBryde delivered a show-stopping medley of Daniels’ songs including “Trudy,” “Texas,” “Long Haired Country Boy” and “The Devil Went Down to Georgia.” 

This year’s CMA Awards presented a mix of in-person and pre-recorded performances in front of a social-distanced audience filled with the biggest names in country music. 

Not only did the night feature performances from country heavyweights like Miranda Lambert, Keith Urban, and Eric Church, pop artists took the stage as well. Charlie Puth joined Gabby Barrett to perform “I Hope” and Justin Bieber joined Dan + Shay to deliver vocals from their collaboration “10,000 Hours.”

Hosts McEntire and Rucker also took the stage to honor the late Mac Davis who died in September 2020 following heart surgery. Together, the duo debuted their take on Davis’ timeless piece “In The Ghetto,” which he famously penned for Elvis Presley. Country singer and songwriter Joe Diffie, who died this year of COVID-19 complications, was also honored with a performance of his song “Pickup Man” sung by Jon Pardi. 

Other notable performances included an homage to the 1980’s Western film Urban Cowboy from Old Dominion. The group performed “Looking For Love” from the movie’s soundtrack, which Rucker credited with changing the world by suddenly having “everybody, everywhere wearing cowboy hats and learning to line dance.”

When it came to awards, Maren Morris started off on fire, snagging the first two awards back-to-back for Single of the Year and Song of the Year for her record “The Bones,” which she later performed. She also won Female Vocalist of the Year and, during her acceptance speech, she shouted out the “amazing Black women” in country music, including Linda Martell, Yola, Mickey Guyton, Rissi Palmer, Brittney Spencer and Rhiannon Giddens.

“There are so many amazing Black women that pioneered and continue to pioneer this genre,” she said. “You have made this genre so, so beautiful. I hope you know that we see you. Thank you for making me so inspired as a singer in this genre.”

Luke Combs followed closely behind Morris, taking home two CMA Awards for Album of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year. 

Charley Pride was presented with the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award by Jimmie Allen, who first serenaded the crowd with a snippet of his song “Best Shot” and attributed a lot of his success to the country music hall of famer.

The last award of the night was the highly coveted Entertainer of the Year Award, which Eric Church took home — much to his own surprise. 

“I didn’t think I was going to win this,” he said before exiting the stage. “Thank you guys very much.”
He also touched on the current state of the world and shared his belief that music will bring “us out of this.”

“That is the one thing that is gonna save the entire world,” the singer declared.

Entertainer of the Year

Eric Church 

Male Vocalist of the Year

Luke Combs 

Female Vocalist of the Year

Maren Morris 

Album of the Year

“What You See Is What You Get” Luke Combs — winner

Single of the Year

“The Bones” Maren Morris

Song of the Year

“The Bones” Maren Morris (written by Morris, Jimmy Robbins, Laura Veltz) — winner

Vocal Group of the Year

Old Dominion 

Vocal Duo of the Year

Dan + Shay 

New Artist of the Year

Morgan Wallen

Musical Event of the Year

“I Hope You’re Happy Now” Carly Pearce and Lee Brice 

Music Video of the Year

“Bluebird” Miranda Lambert 

New Music Video From Lee Brice - "Memory I Don't Mess With"

New Music Video From Lee Brice - "Hey World"

New Music Video From Lee Brice - "Hey World"

Write You A Song Podcast - An Interview With Singer/Songwriter Jessi Alexander

Today, we share another new podcast from host Tom Mailey from Bonneville radio station New Country 105.1 KNCI in Sacramento. Tom is a country radio veteran with over 30 years of experience in Seattle and Sacramento and a key partner in our Golf & Guitars Children's Charity Music Festival, a little event in our thirteenth year that has raised well north of a million bucks for kids and individuals with disabilities. It highlights the songwriters in our industry and is entitled Write You a Song.

It's his hope that this podcast will shine a little overdue spotlight on the talented men and women who, mostly behind the scenes, write the songs that become part of our lives. You know their words and music, but maybe not their names: Write You a Song will feature some of country music’s biggest songwriters--like Jeffrey Steele, Brett Warren, Ashley McBryde, Tim Nichols and more.

Songwriter Jessi Alexander joined us during the 2nd week of the Covid 19 quarantine- which also happened to be the week when her solo album dropped. Busy homeschooling her kids and trying to promote a new record, she still found time to talk on the podcast about smash hits she's written for others, including "Drive Your Truck" for Lee Brice, "Mine Would Be You" for Blake Shelton and Miley Cyrus' anthem, "The Climb."

New Music Video From Lee Brice - "One of Them Girls"

Nashville Singer/Songwriter Jessi Alexander Announces Decatur County Red Out March 27

Artist: Jessi Alexander
Album: Decatur County Red
Recorded: Southern Ground Studios
Release date: March 27, 2020

GRAMMY-nominated, CMA and ACM Award-winning songwriter and one of Nashville’s most prolific lyricists — will return to her roots on March 27th with the release of Decatur County Red, her first new album since 2014. This celebrated singer-songwriter’s album was inspired by her muse: a cabin in Tennessee River in Decatur County left to her by her Grandmother. Dedicated to “the folks that love sad songs, beer joints, pedal steel, and country music."

Her first release off of the project is the song “Mama Drank”, co-written by Alexander and her husband Jon Randall (Alison Krauss, Emmylou Harris, Brad Paisley). The track is a testament to her own experience as a mom-of-three with the “working mom blues” and the “delicate dance working like a man, while you’re keeping your apron tied”.

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

To immaculately capture these deeply personal stories and characters, Alexander turned to collaborators like The Brothers Osborne, husband Jon Randall (Alison Krauss, Emmylou Harris, Brad Paisley), Josh Thompson (Jason Aldean, Maddie & Tae, Luke Combs), Glen Worff and more, resulting in this intoxicating hybrid of Americana-tinged country. 

Born in Jackson, TN and now Nashville-based, Alexander is the voice behind country’s Top 40 men and some of pop’s leading ladies, writing more than 70 hits from acts like Celine Dion (“Didn’t You Know”), Miley Cyrus (“The Climb”), Morgan Wallen (“The Way I Talk”, “Gone Girl”), Blake Shelton (“Mine Would Be You”, “Drink On It”, “Turnin’ Me On”), and Lee Brice (“I Drive Your Truck”) to name a few.

New Music Video From Carly Pearce and Lee Brice - "I Hope You're Happy Now"

New Music Video From Carly Pearce and Lee Brice - "I Hope You're Happy Now" (Live at the Opry)

Up & Coming New Nashville - Meet Heidi Raye

Harlan Howard Records’ artist Heidi Raye is gearing up to release her sophomore EP Blame It On The Radio this fall. Her debut EP, Worth A Shot, was produced by GRAMMY award-winning producer Chuck Ainlay, and the title track and debut single reached the Top 45 on the Music Row charts. The country riser’s hit track, “Sweat,” has garnered over 150,000 streams on Spotify and is currently spinning on Spotify’s Wild Country playlist.

The talented singer and songwriter is a native of the Western Canadian province of British Columbia and started out working the family farm, proving she earned those hard miles that show the true metal of a songwriter.  She grew up sing in church and performing in front of crowds at a very early age.  At age 13, she was a semi finalist in the Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) Talent Search in Vancouver, BC.  At 17, she made it to the top 100 for Canadian Idol (Canada's version of American Idol).  But she visited Nashville early on and knew that would be home.

Heidi’s latest release, “Lay Me On Down,” paints a fun and flirty picture of the quirky art of falling in love and was co-written with Jason Afable, Phil Barton and Johnny Bulford (Lee Brice/Chris Young). Raye recently got engaged to Bulford, making promising songwriting collaborators and a special couple for years to come.

The songstress has shared the stage with country legends Kenny Chesney, Randy Travis, Jason Aldean, Reba McEntire and Terri Clark, and she is currently touring across the US, Canada and Australia.

 

New Music Video From Lee Brice - "Rumor"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

That Nashville Sound Saturday Newsbytes: Kenny Chesney, Keith Urban, LeAnn Rimes, Kacey Musgraves & More

This morning's column has several new music videos and a couple of exciting project updates for potential release later in the year. (Click on the blue link to watch the performances or get additional information on the news tease.)

- Lee Brice has a new music video for his song, "Boy".

- Keith Urban performed the new track "Never Comin' Down" off last week's album release live on Late Night With Seth Meyers.

- LeAnn Rimes "reimagined" her hit "One Way Ticket" and filmed the live performance video from one of her concerts. It's a great reminder of the pipes that young lady has.

- Kacey Musgraves released her new music video for the song, "Butterflies".

- Lindi Ortega released her new music video for the song, "Liberty".

- Luke Combs released his new music video for the song, "Beautiful Crazy".

- John Mellencamp recently released a live DVD of a concert featuring he and Carlene Carter and unveiled a music video of him performing "Pink Houses" from the project.