While on the Red Carper at the 2023 Grammy Awards if February, someone from CBS shoved a microphone into the face of Luke Combs, and asked him “What song can you not stop listening to?” Luke’s answer? “John Prine’s son, Tommy Prine, wrote a song when his dad passed called ‘Ships in the Harbor.'”
There have been busier release days in the past year or so with 20+ albums on the Saving Country Music radar hitting the shelves all at once. But it’s who is releasing albums, and what those albums are that makes Friday, February 24th feel like an especially important release day that is worth highlighting.
Flatland Cavalry have their work cut out for them in the coming weeks and months. They’ve already been announced as one of the big beneficiaries of the massive stadium tour Luke Combs is throwing this year. But they won’t be sitting on their laurels in between.
We’ve seen the hit TV show series Yellowstone help wing a dozen or so worthy independent country artists into the stratosphere through the show’s soundtrack. Now we’re seeing a reversal of roles as one of the primary cast members of Yellowstone has just signed a major label record deal.
The Grammy Awards officially open the initial round of voting for nominees today, and due to the propensity for the Grammys to often overlook key contributors in the country music and roots space, here are some simple suggestions of what Grammy voters should make sure they don’t ignore for the 2023 awards.
Adam Hood is a songwriter’s songwriter, doing it for the love of the craft as opposed to the commercial application of whatever he comes up with. Similar accusations can be made of his buddy Brent Cobb who came on as a producer. Add Blackberry Smoke to the cast as the album’s backing band.
The final months of 2022 are here, and just like the first portion of the year, it is jam packed in an increasingly cluttered environment for new releases. Instead of being overwhelmed, use this guide to help you navigate through the crush of titles, with the first 20 albums listed considered some of the top releases.
this is like getting a new Adam Hood album, and Adam Hood/Brent Cobb collaborative album, and a Blackberry Smoke side project all rolled up into one. Many people in the Adam Hood orbit who respect the songwriting of the Opelika, Alabama native answered the call to make ‘Bad Better Days’ a career effort.
The Saving Country Music Top 25 Playlist is built to keep you informed on all the best songs and albums coming out right here, right now in country and roots music. It’s available on most all streaming formats, or just use the song, artist, and album recommendations to find something new.
Aaron Raitiere has this favorable disposition for a songwriter of not taking himself too seriously, and this interesting knack for always being able to see the bright side of things, even if there really isn’t one. “Single Wide Dreamer” is a musical attitude adjustment.
Writing and performing songs is just one of the many ways Nikki Lane contributes, and instead of just jotting down a few ditties to satisfy some arbitrary release timeline, she decided to savor and experience life, and let the songs come to her for this particular album
The Saving Country Music Top 25 Playlist is built to keep you informed on all the best songs and albums coming out right here, right now in country and roots music. It’s available on most all streaming formats. New songs just added.
There are run-of-the-mill tribute albums, and then there’s this tribute album due out August 5th called ‘Something Borrowed, Something New: A Tribute to John Anderson.’ What makes it remarkable is that a rather incredible list of contributors are coming together.
“Took me about 15 years to write this song,” Brent Cobb says. “Finally finished it up a few days ago. Next time you’re trying to tell your friends about all the cool country artists you listen to just send them to this song. I got as many as I could in there. Proud to know these folks.”
Instead of weighing down good songs with excessive production and stylistic shifts in attempts to appeal to disparate constituencies, Dispatch to 16th Ave. strips it back, slows it down, and lets the weight of the moments, and the strength of the writing get exposed.
Before you can understand where country music is going, you first have to know where it’s been. And since the very beginning of the genre, country music has been calling on the roots of Gospel music for much of its structure and inspiration.
Welcome to 2022, and another (hopefully) exciting year for albums releases in the greater country and roots music world. In the spirit of trying to keep you informed, you can find a detailed list of confirmed album releases for 2022, and the always-exciting “Rumor Mill.”
Luke Combs didn’t just put Zach Bryan, Morgan Wade, and Cody Johnson on a poster. He put out a whole promotional video featuring these artists as part of the announcement, and splattering it all over social media. Even if people don’t attend these events, the damage is done.
For the latest update to the playlist, the ladies rule the roost, making up the majority of the newest additions as they set the pace in country and roots music at the moment for new singles, along with Brent Cobb dropping a badass new song on us ahead of a new Gospel album.
For Brent Cobb, the motivation to record a Gospel album isn’t just symbolism. Although he’d wanted to record a Gospel album for a long time, it was a near-death experience in July 2020 when the vehicle that he was driving with his young son inside, got T-boned at a crossroads
It’s not that Luke Combs is ideal, because he isn’t. Hell, who is? And for many independent fans, he will never compete with the likes of Cody Jinks or Tyler Childers in their hearts. But who would you rather have being the face of mainstream country at the moment?
Nikki Lane and Brent Cobb entertained us with their anti-acrimony ode “Soapbox” off of Brent Cobb’s 2020 record Keep ‘Em on They Toes, and now they will be hitting the road together on a joint tour later this summer and into the fall dubbed the “Soapbox Derby Tour.”
“Set In Stone” feels like a really solid and inspired mid career selection from Tritt, well-produced by Cobb, with some great instrumental performances, and no signs of rust or heavy wear from the time away. Undoubtedly though, this is a Boomer record, and in more ways than one.
The transformation of this guy from pandering for radio play to a dude writing and singing good ol’ country songs is quite remarkable. It’s not a traditional country record. But it’s not exactly pop country either. It’s Canaan country.