King George, Dean, Kent release new music

Friday, September 6, 2024 – The King of Country, George Strait, returns with "Cowboys and Dreamers," on MCA, his 31st studio album. The release was dedicated to three of Strait's very good, longtime friends and collaborators who he lost this year – manager Erv Woolsey, road manager Tom Foote and fiddler Gene Elders who plays on four tracks. The album was produced by Chuck Ainlay, who has been mixing Strait records since 1985, Tony Brown (Strait's 1993's "Easy Come, Easy Go" and 2008's "Troubadour") and Strait. "Honky Tonk Hall Of Fame" features Chris Stapleton and Strait' covers Waylon Jennings' "Waymore's Blues." The release is Strait's first since "Honky Tonk Time Machine" in 2019.

Jackson Dean tries to avoid the sophomore jinx with "On The Back of My Dreams" via Big Machine. The 13-song set explores freedom, solace, youth, mortality and the things that haunt and creep into our subconscious. The Maryland native helped write every song on the release. The current single is "Heavens to Betsy."

Cowgirl Jenna Paulette is out with her sophomore effort, "Horseback," on Leo33. This is the follow-up to last year's "The Girl I Was." The Texas native co-wrote 8 of the 13 songs on the disc, which has a more traditional sound. Paulette said many of the songs were inspired on the back of her horse while driving cattle. Paulette namechecks Strait in the song "The Three Kings."

Old Dominion is out with a sort of greatest hits set, "Odies But Goodies" via Sony Music Nashville. The release contains "Written in the Sand," "Song for Another Time," "Break Up with Him," "Hotel Key," "Snapback" and deep cuts including "Nowhere Fast," "Hawaii," "Some Horses" and "Still Writing Songs About You." Old Dominion recorded Johnny Lee's all-genre number one "Lookin' For Love," which they performed on the 2020 CMA Awards telecast to honor the movie "Urban Cowboy."

Corey Kent releases his sophomore disc, "Black Bandana" via Sony Music Nashville. The Texas native had a big hit on his debut with "Wild As Her," which went to number one. Kent also helped produce the set.

Wynonna Judd went live with "Back To Wy: Live," a double album that features tunes performed on her "Back To Wy Tour." Among the 20 songs are "I Saw The Light," "No One Else On Earth," "Only Love" and "Tell Me Why."