Jon Pardi Selects “Ain’t Always The Cowboy” As Next Single
Jon Pardi continues to show leadership in helping to return an element of twang and substance to country radio. After the debut single and title track from his latest record Heartache Medication went #1, making it the first mainstream country radio song in nearly eight years to prominently feature fiddle, Pardi has now selected what is arguably the most well-written song from the record to be the next to be served to radio.
“Ain’t Always The Cowboy” also features plenty of fiddle and steel guitar, and it will be a welcome sound on country radio. Written by Brandon Kinney and Josh Thompson, it juxtaposes the stereotypical perspective of the man always being the one who can’t let his heartstrings tie him down as he gallops off into the sunset like the picturesque conclusion of a Western movie with a woman as the one who needs to let her wild horses run free.
Dissimilar to the often sappy and transparent odes to women that are permeating popular music at the moment with their odoriferous platitudes that are nothing more than pandering to popular sentiment as opposed to saying something truly important or telling a story, “Ain’t Always The Cowboy” offers something for both men and women to find affinity with. The protagonist carries this sad, but accepting, and almost envious sentiment as the restless cowgirl goes slipping through his hands like the dry dirt of a parched pasture, admiring her enough to not want to burden her down, even if this conclusion comes with a sincere feeling of heartache and longing.
The one fair criticism of the song is the sort of out-of-place and arena rock-sounding guitar solo in the middle of the song, but luckily it’s moments in the mix are fleeting. Nonetheless, this may be one of the elements that helps ingratiate the song to radio, and allows it to do well in the charts. In a relatively understated fashion, Jon Pardi has now racked out three #1 singles, and two more Top 5’s, making him a bigger star than many people realize.
There’s talk about returning twang and good songs to country, then there’s action. Once again, Jon Pardi proves to be a man of action, and of his word.
SG
February 22, 2020 @ 12:34 pm
A fiddle? Pfff… Dan and Shay have the Biebs.
Hey Arnold
February 22, 2020 @ 3:00 pm
Dan + Shay have to share the Biebs with FGL now…
SG
February 22, 2020 @ 3:30 pm
i wasn’t suggesting that kind of fiddling.
Adam
February 22, 2020 @ 12:37 pm
Wise chose to release this song. It’s certainly is more traditional than 99 percent of what’s on the radio but I think it will translate well.
Adam
February 22, 2020 @ 12:38 pm
Choice*
Adam
February 22, 2020 @ 12:39 pm
Choice*
It certainly*
Apparently I can’t type or spell today.
OlaR
February 22, 2020 @ 1:23 pm
I’m not against guitar solos…but on “Ain’t Always The Cowboy” it’s a out of place & a “mood” changer.
The song will be a hit & i think “Ain’t Always…” will get a award nomination or two.
The Good, The Bad & The Ugly:
El Mule – El Mule – Album – Released – Good
Pecos & The Rooftops – Red Eye – EP – Released – Good
Dolly Shine – “The Dark” – Single/Track – Released – Good
Wynn Williams – Wynn Williams – Album – Released – Good
Cody Hibbard – Memory & A Dirt Road – EP – Released – Good
Hayden Haddock – Hayden Haddock – Album – Released – Good
The Silverline – “Box Of Wood” – Single/Track – Released – Good
Beth Noble – “Out Of The Blue” – Single/Track – Released – Good
Kendall Shaffer – “It’s All Good” – Single/Track – Released – Good
The Teague Brothers Band – Harvest Day – EP – Released – Good
Tyller Gummersall – Heartbreak College – Album – Released – GOOD
Emma Dykes – “All I’m Gunna Get” – Single/Track – Released – Good
The Cody Bryan Band – “Lonely Road” – Single/Track – Released – Good
Hayley Marsten – “Spectacular Heartbreak” – Single/Track – Released – Good
Hershell Golden – “Nothin’ Good About Goodbye” – Single/Track – Released – GOOD
Reckless Kelly – “I Only See You With My Eyes Closed” – Single/Track – Released – Good
Fanny Lumsden – “Mountain Song”/”This Too Shall Pass” – Double Single/Tracks – Released – Good
Travis Denning – “ABBY” – Single/Track – Released – BAD
Sons Of Daughters – “I Picture You” – Single/Track – Released – Bad
Luke Bryan – “Born Here Live Here Die Here” – Single/Track – Released – Bad
Tim Hicks – Wreck – EP – Released – Ugly
Breland – “My Truck” – Single/Track – Released – UGLY
Payton Smith – “Ready Set Summer”/”Like I Knew You Would” – Double Single/Tracks – Released – Ugly
+ Carly Pearce – Carly Pearce – Album – Released – Pretty Good (for a Nashville product)
Adam
February 22, 2020 @ 2:30 pm
Yeah I’ve got to agree that the guitar solo is a little out of place. A fiddle would have been better fit I think.
Another Adam
February 22, 2020 @ 3:27 pm
Looking back, I really should’ve used Another Adam for my name, ha ha. No connection to the original Adam in the comments.
North Woods Country
February 23, 2020 @ 8:34 am
Trigger needs to review the Carly Pearce album already. 2 awful duds at the beginning but mostly good after that. “I Hope You’re Happy Now,” “Halfway Home,” “It Won’t Always be Like This,” and “Greener Grass” are all downright excellent songs. “Greener Grass” might be my song of the year right now.
Trigger
February 23, 2020 @ 10:38 am
It’s being considered for review. Some good songs on it. Some bad songs on it. An album like this is hard to settle an opinion on, it’s not being ignored. It just can be really hard to review certain records sometimes.
North Woods Country
February 23, 2020 @ 12:30 pm
You should consider a different format for albums like that. Just give them a default 5 or 6/10, then highlight the good and bad. Simplify the process with albums like that.
63Guild
February 22, 2020 @ 1:50 pm
I really think Heartache Medication is still an underrated album as crazy as that sounds. It was solid all the way through and this was my favorite song from it.
Hey Arnold
February 22, 2020 @ 2:56 pm
He likely will be nominated for Album of the Year next week for the upcoming ACM awards. I would be shocked if he wasn’t…. It’s UMG/Capitol’s only album released in 2019.. They big time pushed it. & he of course deserves it. Will be a close race with Miranda’s Wildcard, but I feel like it’s Jon’s time to shine!!!
Chris
February 22, 2020 @ 2:07 pm
I love this guy. All these people who say their next album is going to be more traditional… well Jon Pardi actually did it and he didn’t hold back!
Benjamin
February 22, 2020 @ 2:37 pm
The guitar solo surprisingly doesn’t bother me. Sure, I’d rather have a fiddle solo, but I don’t dislike the guitar solo.
Hey Arnold
February 22, 2020 @ 2:59 pm
Ain’t Always the Cowboy = excellent choice of a 2nd single!!!
Definitely think Tequila Little Time and Nobody Leaves a Girl Like That will be the 3rd & 4th singles respectively.
So many great songs to choose form. I would love to see “Love Her Like She’s Leaving” get a chance as a single, it’s a beautiful ballad cowritten by Dean Dillon.
Blackh4t
February 22, 2020 @ 3:11 pm
The drums sound like a real drummer trying to sound a drum machine.
Actually the whole song sounds like a real band doing a trashy arena song properly. If that makes sense.
Like they took the trashy lyrics and put good ones, took the synth/looped guitar and put a fiddle, took out the 808 and played it real, but kept the fist pumping vibe. Kind of ingenious actually.
wayne
February 22, 2020 @ 5:09 pm
“Dissimilar to the often sappy and transparent odes to women that are permeating popular music at the moment with their odoriferous platitudes that are nothing more than pandering to popular sentiment as opposed to saying something truly important or telling a story,”
Trigger has the pulse of what is going on and the words to describe it.
North Woods Country
February 22, 2020 @ 6:53 pm
There’s a second criticism to be had–the second verse is too short. Not a big problem, but I find it more bothersome than the guitar solo.
Skyler
February 22, 2020 @ 10:14 pm
If he chooses to go more radio friendly with either of his next couple singles, I can definitely see ‘Buy That Man A Beer’ being a smash and with the steel solo in it I honestly wouldn’t complain, or any of Jon Pardi’s cuts from this album.
Blockman
February 23, 2020 @ 1:07 am
Question: if Pardi came out during the era he is clearly emulating where would this chart?
Michigan Country Music
February 23, 2020 @ 5:07 am
Great song choice to be next single.
Josh Thompson proves again he’s a helluva song writer.
North Woods Country
February 23, 2020 @ 5:55 am
Josh Thompson should still be a radio artist. He got screwed so badly. “Comin’ Around” would have been a smash if his label had supported it.
I’m still mad about that.
Jerseyboy
February 23, 2020 @ 6:30 am
I like the song and the new album as well, as with his other two albums’ they never gets old to me, lots of things wear out after repeat listening, but his has enough in it to play often.
I too wish the song has a nice Paul Franklin steel solo instead of the guitar, but that’s just my bent.
All the best to Jon, seems like the real deal so far.
HerbieVorus
February 23, 2020 @ 7:15 am
I’m just happy to have an article that’s not about Jason Isbell.
Melissa W
February 23, 2020 @ 7:55 am
I think it’s a good song choice. Hopefully radio treats this just as well as Heartache Medication. Jon’s one of the few putting out country & getting played on mainstream radio. Need him to have success to open doors for more of the same & those followers that will want to lean back to making real country. I personally love 90s style country not just traditional.
Melissa W
February 23, 2020 @ 8:12 am
Has anyone heard the new Ashley McBryde song, First Thing I Reach For? Good country production!!
JB-Chicago
February 24, 2020 @ 10:58 am
That right there is Country music!!! Great song! Other new one is good too, good for Ash, can’t wait for the album.
Jay Eff
February 24, 2020 @ 11:39 am
Yes! Also, check out Caylee Hammock’s Small Town Hypocrite if you like that. Amazing songwriting by Jared Scott.
Melissa W
February 24, 2020 @ 6:08 pm
That’s a good one by Caylee! Added to my playlist. Thanks for the recommendation
Woogeroo
February 23, 2020 @ 10:13 pm
better than most of the hot mess I heard on ‘country radio’ last time I tried to listen to it… sounds like 90s Garth, but this song doesn’t really flip my switch.
Sarah
February 24, 2020 @ 10:01 am
enjoyed this article, trigger 🙂 i think it’s a great choice for radio, i have really enjoyed this album! unpopular opinion, i hate tequila a little time, i would be so annoyed if this was another single -_-
Charles Murphy
February 25, 2020 @ 10:09 pm
Same Nashville “paint within the numbers” mediocre song formula, uninspired playing, mediocre production with a mediocre singer. He and Sara Evans could co-headline a “Just Flat Live” Tour. Only thing they did was add just enough fiddle & steel for everyone to start hollering how he’s bringing “country back”.
Jared
February 28, 2020 @ 7:42 am
Solid pick as the next single. Another tip of the hat to George Strait. Jon Pardi officially joins the top tier class of Country Music in 2020, which we should all be rooting for. Pardi may not be your cup of tea, however, his success will help open the door for mainstream radio to change.