Compared to albums, making picks of songs is such a tough, arbitrary business. This year seems especially tough, not because the field isn’t strong, but because many of the best moments are coming from unlikely sources, including a cadre of cover songs that despite the spirit of the “Best Songs” approach being about original compositions, seem almost criminal to omit.
Since releasing the initial video for “There’s No Country Here” in mid January, Melody has recorded a full studio version of the song that is now available for purchase, and she made a key change in the lyrics that make the song even better than the original version. She also recently stopped by the Big D & Bubba syndicated radio show to record a new live version of the song.
Williamson Branch is a bluegrass and country band from Nashville, and their 15-year-old fiddle and guitar player Melody Williamson recently wrote a song called “There’s No Country Here.” Despite her age, Music Row would be wise to remove themselves for their laundry list clatter and listen to what the future of country music has to say about where country music is headed.