New Music Video From Radney Foster - "A Little Revival" (Live at the Opry)

A Message From Radney Foster's Mom & Publisher

Rarely do we ever break from specific music-only news, but I saw something on Facebook last night I thought was a profound statement on the intersection where music and politics collide that I thought was important to share. 

Earlier this week, respected singer/songwriter Radney Foster expressed his political opinion on the upcoming elections through his social media. Like many, he has strong feelings and was using his platform to express his opinion. For purposes of this column, it isn't even important to share whether it was red or blue, just that he was a proponent of one view over another.

As you can surmise, the wolves came out on social media and the conversation (more of a one-sided conversation) turned ugly. Again, it doesn't matter which side of the aisle the wolves came out on. Both fringes of the political spectrum have turned vicious. The decades-old conversation about whether celebrities, athletes and singers should use their platform to express their political views descended into blather. The reality is that they have a voice. And more importantly, they live in a country where that voice is protected by rights. 

Somewhere along the line, expressing one's opinion has become blasphemy if it doesn't align with your own narrow views of how the world should operate. Discourse has been thrown out with the baby, the bath water, the soap, the faucet and the sink. 

Last night, my writing friend Holly Gleason reposted something from Radney's Mom, Bette. She posted it on her Facebook wall. It was a letter of sorts from Radney's book publisher (and writer and editor of Working Title Farm), Sheri Smith.  It brought a smile to my face and I thought, with all negative mudslinging and cancel culture enveloping our society, it said why freedom of expression from everyone is important. The message was this: That same passion that drives their music craft is the same passion that bleeds over into wanting to make their communities better. They're not two halves of different people, they're the same individual. In most cases, those are wildly creative and passionate people that follow their muse. 

You can have your opinion- whatever that may be. But consider listening to the others as well. It may not change the way you feel about an election topic, but you might just learn a little more about those around you and why they feel the way they do. 

New Ray Wylie Hubbard Tribute Album Features Outstanding Collection Of Americana Artists

Artists: A Who's Who Of Americana Artists

Album: The Messenger: A Tribute to Ray Wylie Hubbard

Label: Eight 30 Records

Release date: August 2019

The Messenger: A Tribute to Ray Wylie Hubbard, a new collection from Eight 30 Records, features performances by a who’s who of Americana music including Rodney Crowell(“In Times of Cold”), Bobby Bare (“Snake Farm”), Charlie Musselwhite (“Resurrection”), Tom Russell(“Dust of the Chase”), James McMurtry (“The Messenger”), Terri Hendrix (“Without Love”), Jonathan Tyler (“Wanna Rock N Roll”) and others. “We're so proud of this record,” says Jenni Finlay, who co-produced the set with label co-owner Brian T. Atkinson. “We are so excited to celebrate one of our very favorite songwriters and humans alive today.” Additionally, James McMurtry and his band served as the “house band” on several key tracks on the album, which was released digitally on August 16 and is scheduled for a physical release later this fall.

The album serves as a companion to Atkinson’s new book The Messenger: The Songwriting Legacy of Ray Wylie Hubbard, published by Texas A&M University Press. “You know, I've never thought about my songwriting legacy,” Hubbard admits. “I guess I’ve written some pretty cool songs that nobody else seems to be writing. As guess as far as legacy, I hope it’s that I wrote some cool, badass songs. Some sold and some didn’t. Most didn’t.” The Messenger features forewords by Jerry Jeff Walker and Hayes Carll and marks Atkinson's third book for TAMU Press, following I'll Be Here in the Morning: The Songwriting Legacy of Townes Van Zandt (2012) and Kent Finlay, Dreamer: The Musical Legacy Behind Cheatham Street Warehouse (2016), co-written with Jenni Finlay.

“Ray Wylie Hubbard has been overlooked in the conversation about great Texas songwriters for far too long,” Atkinson says. “He shouldn't be passed by. As several dozen songwriters within these pages proclaim, Hubbard has created a catalog over the past four decades deserving mention among the catalogs of monumental tunesmiths such as Guy Clark, Steve Earle, Lightnin' Hopkins, Kris Kristofferson, Mickey Newbury, Billy Joe Shaver and Townes Van Zandt.” All the songwriters on the tribute — including Texans Slaid Cleaves, Scott H. Biram, The Band of Heathens, Ray Benson, Walt Wilkins, Radney Foster, Shinyribs, Chris Fullerton and others — effortlessly back the claim.

Finlay and Atkinson plan to follow The Messenger by celebrating another Texas treasure with If It Weren’t for You: A Tribute to Walt Wilkins (Eight 30 Records, fall 2021). Iconic Guy Clark sideman Verlon Thompson started recording sessions recently by cutting the title track.

The Messenger: A Tribute to Ray Wylie Hubbard track list: 

James McMurtry • The Messenger
The Band of Heathens • Drunken Poets Dream
Ray Benson • Easy Money Down in Texas
Charlie Musselwhite • Resurrection
Bobby Bare • Snake Farm
Radney Foster • Screw You, We're from Texas
Tom Russell • Dust of the Chase
Tim Easton • Conversation with the Devil
Scott Biram • Chickens
Slaid Cleaves • The Sun Also Rises
Walt Wilkins • Wishbones
Shinyribs • Whoop and Hollar
Rod Picott • Portales
Jon Dee Graham • Mother Blues
Terri Hendrix • Without Love
Chris Fullerton (feat. Slaid Cleaves) • Stone Blind Horses
Jonathan Tyler • Wanna Rock and Roll
Rodney Crowell • In Times of Cold

New Music Video From Radney Foster and Kyle Hutton - "A Place To Stay"

It’s hard to believe, but there are currently over 30,000 children in the Texas Foster Care System. Even harder to believe is that nearly 5,000 of those children are currently available for adoption. By the time they turn 18 it’s too late, they are left to face the world alone without the love and support of a forever family. The Foster EP is a collection of songs, written and performed by Kyle Hutton and iconic Texas singer/songwriter Radney Foster, for the purpose of exploring the emotions and realities of the Texas Foster Care System. This is one of those songs.
 

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



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

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

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

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

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

The Very Best:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cream of the Crop (Top 35):

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

Jason Eady – “Not Too Loud”

LANCO – “Greatest Love Story”

Midland – “Drinkin’ Problem”

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

Steve Moakler – “Wheels”

Ashley McBryde – “A Little Dive Bar in Dahlonega”

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

Tony Jackson – “The Grand Tour”

Glen Campbell – “Just Like Always”

Jason Isbell – “White Mans’ World”

Jason Isbell – “If We Were Vampires”

Pistol Annies – “Tulsa Time”

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

Upper Crust: (Top 70)

Jennifer Paige – “January”

John Baumann – “Old Stone Church”

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

Candi Carpenter – “Burn the Bed”

Aaron Watson – “Run Wild Horses”

Band of Heathens – “All I’m Asking”

Jason Eady – “Black Jesus”

Jason Eady – “Barrabas”

Sunny Sweeney – “Pass the Pain”

The Mavericks – “Damned (If You Do)”

Joey Feek – “See You There”

Trace Adkins – “Watered Down”

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

Brad Paisley – “Gold All Over The Ground”

Chris Stapleton – “Either Way”

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

Tony Jackson – “Old Porch Swing”

Maggie Rose – “Body on Fire”

Jake Worthington – “A Lot of Room To Talk”

Natalie Hemby – “Cairo, IL”

Brantley Gilbert – “Three Feet of Water”

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

Best of the Rest (Top 100):

John Schneider – “How Do You Stop The Water”

Willie Nelson – “Delete and Fast Forward”

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

Lindi Ortega – “Waiting ‘Round To Die”

Lady Antebellum – “Hurt”

Steve Moakler – “Steel Town”

Lila McCann – “Still ChooseYou”

Little Big Town – “Drivin’ Around”

Marty Stuart – “Air Mail Special”

Marty Stuart – “Wait for the Morning”

Joey Feek – “Southern Girl”

Chris Stapleton – “Broken Halos”

Zac Brown Band – “My Old Man”

Natalie Hemby – “Worn”

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

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

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.

New Music City Roots Music Video From Radney Foster - "For You To See The Stars"

That Nashville Sound Sunday Newsbytes - New Music Videos & Upcoming Releases

We're playing catch-up this weekend with lots and lots of new music videos and a handful of new album introductions. TNS would love to hear from you- what's your favorite off of the list below?

- Bill Withers, Tim O'Brien, Kathy Mattea, Charlie McCoy, Connie Smith and many others from the bluegrass genre have contributed to a new project celebrating one of the Grand Ole Opry's all time favorites: Rhinestone Hillbilly: A Tribute to Little Jimmy Dickens.

- Rockabilly singer Sonny Burgess, who recorded for Sun Records, passed away at the age of 88.

- Billy Ray Cyrus‘ upcoming album Set The Record Straight, which releases November 10, will be packed with collaborations with Joe Perry, George Jones, Loretta Lynn, Bryan Adams, Glenn Hughes, Jencarlos Canela, and Ronnie Milsap, as well as with Cyrus’ daughter Miley Cyrus.

- That Nashville Sound favorite Aubrie Sellers released a new music video for "Paper Doll."

- Bluegrass Hall of Fame member Pete Kuykendall has died in Virginia at age 79.

- Kip Moore has released a new music video for his song "Bittersweet Company."

- Bluegrass artist Rebekah Long has enlisted the production and writing help of Donna Ulisse on her new album Run Away that will be coming out on September 8.

- The Texas Gentelmen released a new music video for their song "Bondurant Women."

- Radney Foster's upcoming September 15 release, For You To See The Stars, is a project comprised of two parts - a book of short fiction and an album of the songs that inspired them.

- Doug Supernaw has re-recorded his biggest charted songs and will release a new Greatest Hits package on September 22.

- A new project will be forthcoming from the famed Jennings family with Shooter Jennings' Live at Billy Bob's TX- to be released on November 10.

- November 10 will also be the release date for Taylor Swift's next pop album, Reputation. Her first single off of the project is "Look What You Made Me Do."

- Carly Pearce will be releasing an album on Big Machine Records on October 13 under the same name of her big surprise chart hit, Every Little Thing.  

Radney Foster Unveils Plans For For You To See The Stars Album and Book

Artist: Radney Foster

Album: For You To See The Stars
Label: Devil River Records
Release date: September 15, 2017

Updated today:
Radney Foster‘s latest project, a dual book and CD combination, For You To See The Stars, has now been set for a release date of September 15. The collection of short stories, released via Working Title Farm, marks Foster’s first print publication. The Devil’s River Records album is Foster’s 11th foray into the studio and features nine new songs and a special re-recording of his single, “Raining on Sunday.”
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.”

Published originally 2/3/17:
Here at That Nashville Sound, we rarely post details on Kickstarter or PledgeMusic campaigns unless we feel strongly about the artist or the project involved. This is one of those times. Radney Foster's good friend Jack Ingram let us know yesterday of this new project that's on the horizon for one of country music's most celebrated songwriters and this combination album with book of short stories sounds fascinating to say the least.

Singer songwriter Radney Foster has been telling stories professionally for over 35 years. His songs have reached over 50 million people, whether through his own hits ("Crazy Over You," "Just Call Me Lonesome," "Nobody Wins," "Texas in 1880" and "Angel Flight") or those he wrote that became hits for others (Keith Urban's "Raining On Sunday," Sara Evans, "A Real Fine Place To Start," The Dixie Chicks "GodSpeed" and a host of others).

2016 saw him expanding his definition of storytelling. Along with songwriting and performing, he began acting (in the upcoming feature film "Beauty Mark," and onstage at the Alliance Theatre in "Troubadour.") He also began writing short fiction, taking his focus from 3 minute songs and diving deeper into each story. His new project is a collection of songs, each with a short story to go with it. The stories are not a retelling of the songs, but rather a companion piece. According to the campaign, "Sometimes they are based on the storyline, sometimes just on something the lyrics touch on. Often the song talks about what the characters were feeling at the time."

Tentative track listing:


 

New Music Video From Radney Foster and Kyle Hutton - "A Place To Stay"

New Live Performance Music Video From Radney Foster- "Whose Heart You Wreck (Ode to the Muse)"

Radney Foster Donates Live Performance Recording To Raise Funds For Wimberlly, TX Flood Victims

Wimberley, Texas was the hardest hit from the devastating floods that ravaged- and still ravage- Central Texas. Radney Foster and his singer/songwriter friend Bonnie Bishop have joined together to donate the proceeds from a live recording made at last night's concert at the Kessler Theater in Dallas to My Neighbor's Keeper, which delivers funds directly to flood victims. The 104 minute show features Foster covering all of his greatest hits and 100% of the proceeds of the project go to fundraising for the people in need. It is $20 for the live album. The charity is run entirely by volunteer board members who serve with no administrative salaries. 

Both musicians live in Nashville, but Foster is from Del Rio, while Bishop grew up in Houston and lived in Austin. “So many of my musician friends live in Wimberley, and my nephew is an EMT in Blanco County."

“We decided to go with a local charity that could get the needed funds to victims quickly,” said Foster, who himself was a victim of flooding in his Nashville home in 2010. "We are holding all those throughout Central Texas and Oklahoma in our thoughts and prayers.”

Click HERE to make your purchase.

New Live Performance Music Video From Radney Foster- "Not In My House"

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”