May 15, 2020
Chatham County Line -
Strange Fascination
(Yep Roc)
Chatham County Line is making a change after two decades. "Strange Fascination" is the final release with co-founding banjo player Chandler Holt, the first line-up change since 2001, and the first to feature drums on every song. Dave Wilson (guitar/vocals/songwriter), John Teer (mandolin/fiddle/vocals), and Greg Readling (bass/pedal steel/piano) welcome percussion to its line-up with long time friend Dan Hall on drums. Produced by Dave Wilson and the band, 'Strange Fascination" was recorded at Mitch Easter's Fidelitorium Recordings in Kernersville, N.C. The band was joined in-studio by Yan Westerlund (Mipso, Phil Cook) on drums, and the album was mixed and engineered by Chris Boerner (Hiss Golden Messenger, The Foreign Exchange).
April 24, 2020
Luke Bryan -
Born Here, Live Here, Die Here
(Capitol Nashville)
Lucinda Williams -
Good Souls Better Angels
(Highway 20)
Lucinda Williams get together with producer Ray Kennedy for the first time since her landmark album "Car Wheels on a Gravel Road." WIlliams' husband, Tom Overby, also helped produce. Williams tackles various social and political issues on the release.
April 10, 2020
Pokey LaFarge -
Rock Bottom Rhapsody
(New West)
Pokey LaFarge returns on a new label after spending time on Rounder Records. The St. Louis native also headed west to live in Los Angeles.
Maddie & Tae -
The Way It Feels
(Mercury Nashville)
Maddie & Tae release their second full-length disc after putting out an EP in the fall of 2019. In fact, the CD is comprised of songs from their two recent EPs plus five brand new tracks all co-written by Maddie & Tae. The 15-song set was produced by Jimmy Robbins and Derek Wells. Songs include "Tourist in This Town" and "Lay Here With Me" featuring Dierks Bentley.
April 3, 2020
Ashley McBryde -
Never Will
(Warner Nashville)
Ashley McBryde releases her sophomore album. "Never Will," produced by Jay Joyce, contains 11 tracks including lead single "One Night Standards." McBryde had a hand in writing nine of the songs.
Sam Hunt -
Southside
(MCA Nashville)
Sam Hunt releases his second album after a tremendously successful debut, which was not particularly country sounding.
March 27, 2020
Kim Richey -
A Long Way Back: The Songs of Glimmer
(Yep Roc)
Veteran singer Kim Richey is back with a re-cutting of the songs from "Glimmer," release two decades ago. The new versions are stripped down efforts.
Ingrid Andress -
Lady Like
(Warner Nashville)
Ingrid Andress releases her debut for the label.
Jim Lauderdale -
When Carolina Comes Homes Again
(Yep Roc)
The prodigious Jim Lauderdale returns to bluegrass music with his latest effort.
March 20, 2020
Kelsea Ballerini -
Kelsea
(Black River)
March 13, 2020
The Shires -
Good Years
(BMG)
The Shires, the duo of Ben Earle and Crissie Rhodes, are out with its fourth album. Lindsay Rimes (Kane Brown, Thomas Rhett, Kelsea Ballerini, LOCASH) produced the dozen-song set, 10 of which were written by Earle and Rhodes.
King James Boys -
Living On A Promise
(Morning Glory Music))
The King James Boys are a band out of South Carolina known for their uplifting music fueled by their vocals, musicianship and gospel message.
March 8, 2020
Lauren Alaina -
Getting Good
(Universal Nashville)
Lauren Alaina releases an EP.
March 6, 2020
Brandy Clark -
Your Life is a Record
(Warner)
February 28, 2020
Sierra Hull -
25 Trips
(Rounder)
Mandolin player Sierra Hull releases her first album in four years. Stuart Duncan, Alex Hargreaves, Ethan Jodziewicz, Viktor Krauss, Justin Moses, Jano Rix, Christian Sedelmyer, Nathaniel Smith and Bryan Sutton all play on the release.
Trea Landon -
Dirt Road Dancin'
(Warner Nashville)
Louisiana native Trea Landon releases a five-song EP, his first for the label.
Kristy Cox -
No Headlights
(Mountain Home)
Kristy Cox is a bluegrass singer from Australia. Donna Ulisse offers guest vocals on "The One Who Makes You Cry" and Tammy Rogers performs guest vocal duties on "No Headlights."
The Secret Sisters -
Saturn Return
(New West)
The Secret Sisters make their New West Records debut after being on Rounder and Universal.
February 21, 2020
David Starr -
Beauty & Run
(Cedaredge Music)
White Rabbit Salad -
Trouble in Town
(REGI Music Records)
Fronted by Alabama native Bucky Goldberg and classically trained Marietta Roebuck, White Rabbi Salad is releasing its fourth album, a combination of country, blues and folk. The duo both take turns at lead vocals. They met at an open mic at the Mucky Duck in Houston. Hank Williams and Towns Van Zandt are influences on their songwriting.
February 14, 2020
Carly Pearce -
Carly Pearce
(Big Machine)
Carly Pearce releases her sophomore effort. Her debut yielded the hit "Every Little Thing." Pearce's current single is "I Hope You're Happy Now," penned with Luke Combs and recorded with Lee Brice.
Junior Sisk -
Load The Wagon
(Mountain Home)
Junior Sisk has been a champion of traditional bluegrass for four decades.
February 7, 2020
The SteelDrivers -
Bad for You
(Rounder)
The SteelDrivers sport a new lead singer on their third album. Kelvin Damrell, who on a YouTube video by fiddle player Tammy Rogers, is the new lead singer, replacing Gary Nichols. He succeeded Chris Stapleton. Rogers co-wrote 10 of the 11 songs.
The Cadillac Three -
Country Fuzz
(Big Machine)
Aubrie Sellers -
Far From Home
(Soundly)
Aubrie Sellers releases her sophomore disc on a new label after debuting on Warner. Sellers co-produced the dozen-song set with her stepfather, Frank Liddell (Miranda Lambert, Brandi Carlile, Jack Ingram), and recorded at Sonic Ranch outside of El Paso, Texas. Songs include "My Love Will Not Change" featuring Steve Earle. Sellers received praise for her debut, "New City Blues."
Chicago Farmer -
Flyover Country
( Self-released)
Chicago Farmer is really Chicago-based singer/songwriter Cody Diekhoff, who is backed by the Band of Heathens on his latest effort. Diekhoff mixes country, folk and alt.country.
K.C. Clifford -
K.C. Clifford
( Self-released)
K.C. Clifford, an Oklahoma artist, releases her seventh album in 20 years. It's a mix of twang, soul, gospel and more.
John Moreland -
LP5
(Old Omens/Thirty Tigers)
John Moreland offers his plain spoken, soft vocals amidst a collection of 11 songs. The Oklahoma native has a history of songs with a depressive bent.A number of the songs offer electronic beats.
James Steinle -
What I Came Here For
(Shotgun House)
James Steinele is an emerging Texas singer/songwriter. Bruce Robison produced the disc, his third. Steinele also won the 2017 Kerrville Folk Festival's University Singer/Songwriter Contest.
Drew Fish Band -
Wishful Drinkin'
(Reel Records)
Texas artist act Drew Fish Band releases its third CD. Fish co-wrote all 10 songs going for a more traditional honky-tonk sound. The singer/songwriter co-wrote many of the tunes with songwriters, Tommy Connors, Roger Brown and Nashville Songwriters' Hall of Fame member Byron Hill.
January 31, 2020
Billy Ray Cyrus -
The Singin' Hills Sessions Vol. 1 Sunset
(Broken Bow)
Billy Ray Cyrus releases a three-song EP, which includes a Neil Diamond song.
January 24, 2020
The Lil Smokies -
Tornillo
(United Interests)
Montana-based bluegrass band The Lil Smokies are out with their third release. The band is comprised of Matt Cornette (banjo), Andy Dunnigan (vocals, dobro), Scott Parker (bass), Matt "Rev" Rieger (guitar, vocals) and Jake Simpson (fiddle, vocals). The 11-song disc was recorded at Sonic Ranch in Tornillo, Texas, with producer-engineer Bill Reynolds (The Avett Brothers, Band of Horses, Midland) .
January 17, 2020
Della Mae -
Headlight
(Rounder)
Della Mae now consists of the trio Kimber Ludiker, Jenni Lyn Gardner and Celia Woodsmith, who handles lead vocals. The title track was written in response to Dr. Christina Blasey Ford's testimony to the Senate during Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court confirmation hearing, and its central message - "They might not believe you, but I do"
Eleven Hundred Springs -
Here 'Tis!
(State Fair)
Little Big Town -
Nightfall
(Capitol)
Little Big Town self-produced its new release. "Over Drinking" is the second single from the set after the release of "The Daughters" last April. The song was not promoted to radio. The release contains 13 songs.
Dustin Lynch -
Tullahoma
(Broken Bow)
Dustin Lynch releases his fourth album. He has six songwriting cuts from Lynch as well as contributions from Florida Georgia Line's Brian Kelley, Old Dominion's Matt Ramsey and late producer and songwriter busbee.
January 10, 2020
Hawktail -
Formations
(Padiddle)
Hawktail - Brittany Haas - fiddle (David Rawlings, Crooked Still), Paul Kowert - bass (Punch Brothers), Jordan Tice - guitar (Jordan Tice and Horse County) and Dominick Leslie - mandolin (Phoebe Hunt and The Gatherers) - are out with their second release of acoustic music. The disc, with seven songs, is being released just over a year after their debut "Unless."
Ronnie Dunn -
Re-Dunn
(LWR)
Ronnie Dunn is out with a 24-song covers album of adozen country classics and another dozen rock radio songs. Tracks include "Amarillo By Morning," "Long Cool Woman (In a Black Dress)" and "It Never Rains in Southern California." Dunn also put his stamp on not country songs including "If You Don't Know Me By Now" and "How Long."
December 23, 2019
Glenn Jones -
Ready for the Good Times
( Self-released)
Glenn Jones is out with his third solo album.
December 12, 2019
Blake Shelton -
Fully Loaded: God's Country
(Warner Nashville)
Blake Shelton releases an album of seven previously songs and five new tracks. Among them is the mega-hit "God's Country." Trace Adkins helps out on "Hell Right," and girlfriend Gwen Stefani does the same on "Nobody But You."
