I’ve gotten so used to being bored by mainstream country music that listening to “Little White Church” was a bit of a jolt.  Thematically, it’s essentially the country spin on “Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)”,  though it could hardly be called derivative.

I’m having trouble singling out what I like about the song the most.  First, it’s refreshing to hear those harmonies again, which quite frankly make Lady Antebellum sound like amateurs in comparison.  But the instrumentation is just as fresh as the harmonies. They both zig when you expect them to zag. Hand claps appear out of nowhere but don’t sound out of place. There’s a guitar riff before the final verse that just sounds so frickin’ cool, but before you can fully digest it, the vocals are back and suddenly incorporating a dry whisper. It sounds pretty frickin’ cool, too.

And how about the lyrics? A woman refusing to allow her man to “ride the gravy train”, quipping that “I might be cheap but I ain’t free.”   It’s hard to imagine a more audacious rhyme than pairing up “no more chicken and gravy” with “ain’t gonna have your baby,” though I’d be happily entertained by attempts to beat it.

A few more records like Laura Bell Bundy’s and this one, and country radio just might get interesting again.

Grade: A-

Listen: Little White Church

Female artists dominated this year’s ACM Awards in a way that would have been unimaginable just five years earlier, with nearly all of the major winners of the evening coming from a female solo artist or a band that prominently features a female vocalist.  More significantly, this year’s ACM dissented from the CMA this fall in the marquee categories of Entertainer and Female Vocalist, which makes this fall’s CMA Awards that much more unpredictable.

Here’s my spin on the show’s highlights:

Carrie Underwood wins Entertainer of the Year

Perhaps we should have known not to underestimate the fan base of Ms. Underwood, who helped deliver the singing siren her second consecutive win for Entertainer of the Year. With Taylor Swift dominating the Grammys and CMAs, it was easy to forget that Underwood has continued to do quite well in her own right. Her string of hits at radio – eleven consecutive top two hits, nine of which reached #1  – is unprecedented.  She’s also had ten gold singles, three of which have sold platinum or better. Her third album, Play On, has moved her cumulative album sales past eleven million.

She’s consistently proven herself as a live vocalist and entertainer as well, with her once-awkward stage presence now  a distant memory.  She remains the genre’s most constant and dedicated ambassador, shown again with her heartfelt acceptance speech for the quite silly Triple Crown Award.  So while I’m surprised by her win, I can’t say that I’m disappointed or that there’s another person who deserved it more.

Miranda Lambert wins Female Vocalist, Album, and Video

I suppose it shouldn’t be too shocking, since Lambert’s won Album at this show before and the ACM was the first to award Patty Loveless in the Female Vocalist category, proving that the CMA doesn’t always get it right before the ACM does.  “The House That Built Me” is shaping up to be a career record for her, making Lambert the presumptive favorite at this year’s CMA Awards. Much can happen between now and then, but it’s not difficult to imagine her repeating in these categories and adding Single and Song to boot.

Lady Antebellum wins Single, Song, and Vocal Group

Rascal Flatts had quite the run, but it’s clear that Lady Antebellum is now the group to beat. “Need You Now” is arguably more deserving of the hardware it won than its predecessor “I Run to You”, which earned Lady Antebellum a CMA and a Grammy.  This group is a force to be reckoned with, and has the potential to dominate its Vocal category for a long time.

Brooks & Dunn win Vocal Duo

I should’ve seen this coming, as all of my colleagues at CU were able to. The ACM has always loved these guys, giving them two Entertainer wins and sticking with them when the CMA switched over to Montgomery Gentry and Sugarland.  It helped that Sugarland was completely off the radar this year, clearing the way for a sympathy vote.  But as I watched them perform “My Maria”, the cover song picked by fans over two excellent originals, it felt like 1996 all over again.  They’re good at what they do, but it’s hard not to notice that their music never evolved much over the twenty years they spent in the spotlight.

Brad Paisley wins his fourth Male Vocalist trophy

It’s funny that the guy who waited forever to finally win this race has now become so dominant in it that nobody’s been able to take it from him. I can’t picture somebody else getting this in the fall. Can you?

Taylor Swift shut out

Our predictions for Swift varied, with all of us expecting her to win both Entertainer and Video, and some of us expecting similar victories in her other categories.  But the shut-out makes sense. “You Belong With Me” lost to “Need You Now” in the big races, and to belle of the ball Miranda Lambert in Video and Female Vocalist.  Her speed dialers just couldn’t keep up with Underwood’s in the night’s biggest category, resulting in the first Swift-free country awards show since the 2008 CMA Awards, I believe.  It felt rather abrupt after her CMA and Grammy sweeps, but it also felt good not having to wince at her being named a standard-bearer after yet another mediocre performance.

Laura Bell Bundy, Kenny Chesney, and live music

Though at least Swift sang live, and she wasn’t the only one to sound less than great while doing so.  Chesney lip-synched his heart out without moving a step on stage, while Bundy did an amazing song-and-dance number with a live mic that recalled the very best of Reba McEntire’s showstoppers from the nineties. The Broadway background helped her command the stage in the way that our B-listers simply couldn’t, and let’s be honest: the genre is mostly B-listers these days.

There’s certainly more to talk about.  Thoughts?

In the Entertainer and Male Vocalist races, I’ve been making the case for fresh blood. In those categories, the routine nominees are mostly past their peaks, and there’s room to let some rising stars in on the action.

Oh, to be able to make the same case for the Female Vocalist race. Let’s take a look at last year’s nominees:

2009

• Miranda Lambert
• Martina McBride
• Reba McEntire
• Taylor Swift
• Carrie Underwood

For the first time in this category’s history, I believe voters are facing a dilemma that plagued the Vocal Duo category for most of the nineties: there just aren’t enough worthy nominees to finish out the category.

Even earlier in this decade, when radio was barely playing any women at all, there were women like Alison Krauss, Dolly Parton, and Patty Loveless who earned nominations for their critically acclaimed roots records.  Krauss was even a regular in this category for a good chunk of the decade, and despite being largely absent from radio, she sold more records than some of her fellow nominees.

This year, there isn’t even a woman who could step forward and claim that mantle.  So my picks don’t bring anything new to the table. Maybe some of you can make the case that I’m unable to, and suggest new blood in the comments.

Picks for Female Vocalist

Miranda Lambert

She deserves her fourth consecutive nomination, and on the strength of Revolution and its hit single “The House That Built Me”, I think that she deserves the win this year.

Martina McBride

In any other year, this would be the slot that should be up for grabs. McBride didn’t release a new album, and while she had some success at radio with “Wrong Baby Wrong”, it didn’t crack the top ten or reignite album sales. Still, who is standing in her way? Kellie Pickler? Gretchen Wilson? Laura Bell Bundy?   I fully expect her to earn her thirteenth consecutive nomination, matching Reba McEntire’s record run from 1983-1995.

Reba McEntire

Speaking of McEntire, she’s been popping up in this category again in recent years.  After those thirteen consecutive nominations ended in 1995, the race was far too competitive for a good while.  She’s earned three nominations since then, in 2004, 2006, and 2009.  Her massive hit “Consider Me Gone” and surprisingly strong record sales mean that this won’t be a filler nomination. She’s earned it.

Taylor Swift

Yes, I know the idea of her winning vocalist awards makes many wince, but c’mon now. There’s no denying she’s one of the top female artists today. Until Eminem’s recent comeback, she was the biggest star in all of music, period.  And she’s got a shot at reclaiming that title with her third album, if initial reaction to “Mine” is any indication.

Carrie Underwood

The three-time winner is radio’s favorite artist and her album sales have remained strong. If Lambert hadn’t surged with “The House That Built Me”, I think that Underwood would be ahead in the race this year.  If she makes the final ballot for Entertainer, I suspect that voters will reward her in that category and give Female Vocalist to Lambert.  There’s good precedent for this, as Dolly Parton (1978), Barbara Mandrell (1980), and Shania Twain (1999) won Entertainer without winning Female Vocalist that night.  It’s happened even more in the Entertainer/Male races, given that the big prize has gone to men far more frequently.

Sometimes – most of the time – I fall behind on my planned CU work and wind up with a backlog of opinions. And it can be so mentally taxing carrying all that around, you know? Gotta clean out the file sometime. So if you happen to be feeling nostalgic for, oh, five months ago, please join me in considering a bunch of singles which came out around then and pretending like they’re brand-new.

- -

Rodney Atkins, “Farmer’s Daughter”

A warm production, likable vocal by Atkins. I just can’t bring myself to care about the story. Nothing about it feels urgent or revelatory.  Grade: C

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yt5m2qYdD1A

- -

Steve Azar, “Sunshine”

How this has crept up to become his first Top 30 single in eight years is beyond me, since it’s about as exciting as a dreamless nap. A true “sleeper hit,” yuk yuk. Oh! And does it not totally sound like that “Ooohhh, but I feel it” song from the 90’s? Anyway, a pleasant enough listen if you’re in the mood for it.  Grade: C+

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SouBO6wov14

- -

The Band Perry, “If I Die Young”

It sounds like what would happen if Taylor Swift listened to one Caroline Herring track – just one – and decided to come up with her own version. I mean that in a good way, mostly. Kimberly Perry has written and performed a very pretty-sounding record here, gratuitous “uh oh”s aside, and and Republic Nashville should be commended for releasing something with such ambitious subject matter as a second single.

I just wish the song itself had undergone some more revision first. The pieces are set for a sweet, eloquent hypothetical about premature death, but then that third verse comes and it sounds like she’s actually anticipating her demise and has an agenda for it. It’s muddling.

So, not the home run it could have been. But still an admirable effort.  Grade: B-

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NJqUN9TClM&ob=av2e

- -

Laura Bell Bundy, “Drop on By”

It looks like this single has already fallen off the radar, which is a big shame. Bundy’s controlled performance demonstrates why she’s among the most promising new acts out there, and the song is a sweet sip of lounge-y countrypolitan.

What’s missing is a great hook. “Drop on By” is a kind of a ho-hum central phrase, and it isn’t matched with a memorable enough melody here to make it really stick. Then again, the tracks on Bundy’s album that do have good hooks (“Cigarette”, “If You Want My Love”) won’t fit radio anyway because they’re too sharp and unique. The gal can’t win.  Grade: B

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bb9T8Jcjmo0&ob=av2e

- -

Eric Church, “Smoke a Little Smoke”

For a number of reasons – the biggest of which was “Love Your Love the Most” dancing on my gag reflex, but there were others – I passed altogether on listening to his sophomore album, and ignored this single’s existence for a good while.

Now I’ve heard it, though, and damn it, I can’t go back. This ode to substance-fueled escapism may be the most daring country single of the year, even without the “stash” reference in the album version. The record actually sounds like a weird high, with snaky acoustic guitars, jarring electrics, and creepy-cool effects on the vocals, yet it never sacrifices accessibility in pursuit of its aesthetic. It ain’t a country sound (check those Collective Soul-aping “yeah”s), but it’s serving a very country theme, and for once, Church’s frat-boy cockiness actually works.  Grade: A-

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bh3Rb3xBeU0

- -

Easton Corbin, “Roll With It”

More lightweight, breezy Strait-gazing. The chorus has a bit of an awkward meter, but I’ll deal. In earlier days, this might have been a bit boring compared to its company at radio. Today, it’s just refreshing.  Grade: B

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZ5sVKhynj0

- -

Randy Montana, “Ain’t Much Left of Lovin’ You”

Don’t care for this guy’s name – sounds like a rodeo emcee’s or something – but what a cool-sounding debut single. Mournful guitar licks, propulsive beat, appealingly gritty vocal. If only the melody were as confident throughout as it is in the second half of the chorus (“The heaven we had / The hell that I’m going through / Other than that / There ain’t much left of lovin’ you”). Still, not too shabby.  Grade: B+

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnYZVU0jpUo

- -

Justin Moore, “How I Got to Be This Way”

Strike three. Moore seems to have potential, and I don’t mean to pick on him or his writers, but his output since “Back That Thing Up” represents everything I don’t like about mainstream country today. This is loud, one-dimensional, and worst of all, uninteresting.  Grade: D

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYdlUP91ohQ

- -

David Nail, “Turning Home”

I’ll say this for David Nail: he’s ambitious. Though his first two singles didn’t win me over, I found something bold to admire in each. “I’m About to Come Alive” cast him as a co-dependent loser – not exactly flattering – while “Red Light” aimed for psychological depth with its focus on the mundane nature of break-ups. Both were refreshingly moody for country radio, and both could have made great breakthrough hits were the songs themselves a bit more compelling.

From a compositional standpoint, “Turning Home” isn’t actually as risky or complex as those forerunners; in fact, it’s very much your typical nostalgic Kenny Chesney co-write. But it’s crisp and coherent enough to give Nail some interpretive room, and he reaches for the stars, delivering an emotional, octave-sweeping performance that goes a long way toward breathing new life into the well-trod themes.

He unfortunately has to do battle with a screechy electric guitar that surfaces in the instrumental break, and there’s no denying that this single owes much more to Elton John or Gavin DeGraw-type artists than it does to anyone in the realm of traditional country. Nevertheless, Nail’s ambition was well-spent here.  Grade: A-

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPmjri35cBM&ob=av2e

- -

Josh Thompson, “Way Out Here”

His “Beer on the Table” was enjoyable, if a bit derivative-sounding, but I’ll pass on this one. It’s pretty much a less friendly, slightly wittier version of “Small Town U.S.A.”, of which I was never a fan in the first place.  Grade: D+

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0sYnro_3Rc

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Our look back at the year’s best singles comes to a close, with unprecedented CU consensus at the top of the list.  The top two singles of the year were ranked in that order by three of our four writers, and both appeared in the top ten of the fourth writer.

Here’s our ten best of 2010:

The Best Singles of 2010, Part 4: #10-#1

#10

Draw Me a Map
Dierks Bentley

Bentley is getting a lot of deserved attention for sonically diverging from the mainstream to create a bluegrass-inspired album. It’s an excellent album, but to his credit, “Draw Me A Map” isn’t so far removed from some of the unreleased songs on his first two mainstream projects; It’s just that he gets to shine a finer focus on it for this album, and therefore, this seemingly subversive song for radio gets to be released. The inspired blend of Bentley’s ragged voice with Alison Krauss’ angelic one takes the song to an even sweeter level. – Leeann Ward

#9

Broken
Chely Wright

Robert Louis Stevenson once remarked that “Hope lives on ignorance; open-eyed Faith is built upon a knowledge of our life, of the tyranny of circumstance and the frailty of human resolution.” He was talking, in context, about marriage. The truth is that no one enters a relationship completely free of burden, and only by submitting to the complications of that truth can we avoid being ruled by them. Wright, for her part, manages the task with simple, earnest grace, probably strengthening her relationship through mere acknowledgment of its weaknesses. – Dan Milliken

#8

Drop On By
Laura Bell Bundy

Unlike the year’s other booze-induced lover’s call, “Drop On By” isn’t rooted in emotional dependency; it’s fueled by Bundy’s earthy physical longing – and what a longing that is. Proving her masterful interpretative skills, Bundy churns out a slow-burning performance that’s both deftly controlled and achingly sensual, with just a tinge of playful warmth woven through. The song’s kicker, though, is the smoky throwback arrangement – a delicious mix of blues, jazz and country – that not only fits Bundy like a glove, but pushes the boundaries of what constitutes a great country record. – Tara Seetharam

#7

Giddy On Up
Laura Bell Bundy

The most interesting and surprising debut single that I can remember. So many creative and unexpected choices are made, but it is Bundy’s forceful personality that pulls it all together into something cohesive.  In an era of country music that is little more than dull shades of gray, “Giddy On Up” is a Technicolor marvel. – Kevin Coyne

#6

As She’s Walking Away
Zac Brown Band featuring Alan Jackson

A young man just about chickens out of approaching the radiant girl across the bar, panicking that “my heart won’t tell my mind to tell my mouth what it should say.” Luckily, Wise Older Man At Bar can see exactly what’s going on and nudges Junior into action. A bit silly, but the single radiates such warmth that you gobble it up. And if there was a more motivational moment in 2010 than Alan Jackson’s spoken “Go on, son,” well, I didn’t hear it. – DM

#5

Smoke a Little Smoke
Eric Church

Church finally puts his music where his mouth is, delivering an unapologetic, roguish (for country radio, anyway) ode to escapism by intoxication. The erratic musical flow evokes the very physical sensations the song celebrates, and Church’s swagger makes bumming sound almost appealing. Turns out that if you stop talking about being a badass for long enough, you may just manage to kinda be one. – DM

#4

If I Die Young
The Band Perry

“If I Die Young”  arrives like a gift from an alternate universe, one where the public’s embrace of Alison Krauss, Nickel Creek, and O Brother was treated as a road map  for the genre’s future, not just a passing interest that needn’t be cultivated.  – KC

#3

Stuck Like Glue
Sugarland

Every once and awhile, a piece of ear candy comes along that defies the term “ear candy.” That’s what “Stuck Like Glue” is, to be sure: an infectious acoustic-pop morsel, invigorated by Nettles’ insanely joyful performance and a genre-busting breakdown. But there’s something about the song that puts it on another plane. Maybe it’s the organic energy, or maybe it’s the lack of artistic inhibition. Or maybe it’s the simple fact that “Stuck Like Glue” doesn’t try to be anything that it’s not. It just is. And as a result, it’s that rare breed of song that taps into your spirit – that demands you to stop thinking, start feeling and have a damn good time. – TS

#2

Little White Church
Little Big Town

It probably owes some theme to “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It),” but Little Big Town’s swampy sleeper hit is the coolest-sounding country single of the year all on its own. From handclaps to snarling electric licks, creepy whispers to gospel-esque call-and-response choruses, “Little White Church” is a potent reminder of all the creativity still bubbling under in Music City. – DM

#1

The House That Built Me
Miranda Lambert

Miranda Lambert’s career defining song is also our song of the year. Not much can be said about this gorgeous ode to childhood memories that hasn’t already been said better by countless writers before me, including our very own Dan Milliken, which helps make the case for what’s inevitably the song of the year on many 2010 countdowns.

Its all-acoustic, understated arrangement underscores the story of a woman who tries to find solace in the memories buried in a structure that was more than a house. Its descriptive lyrics move us as they detail memories from turning blueprints into the family dream home to the heartbreak of losing the family dog.

As it is always is with the best songs, “The House that Built Me” does not hit us over the head with its emotional resonance. It’s strong, it’s palpable, but it’s all done with gentleness, which is the most effective way to tug at the heartstrings. – LW

Check out the rest of the list:

• The Best Singles of 2010, Part 1: #40-#31
• The Best Singles of 2010, Part 2: #30-#21
• The Best Singles of 2010, Part 3: #20-#11

Earlier this year, a discussion with a colleague of mine revealed a mutual affinity for country music. It was a typical conversation that I have with fans that are around my age. We fell in love with the music about twenty years ago, don’t think it’s quite as good as it once was, but can find a lot of things to like from just about any era, including the current one.

So in the 2010 version of making a mix tape, I offered to load up her iPod with a whole bunch of country music. A week later, she took me to dinner as a thank you. We started talking about the music that I’d passed on to her, and she told me that she was listening to the iPod while mowing the lawn. Suddenly, a song came on that made her cry. Full-out cry, mind you, not just a tear or two.

So I ask if it was “Love, Me”, or maybe “Where’ve You Been”, or something similarly tragic. She was almost embarrassed as she told me that it was the old Anne Murray hit, “You Needed Me.”

Now, there are a few possible reactions to this. I suspect for many or even most, it will be either befuddlement or outright derision. But me? I totally understood why that song would have such a strong impact, and I can best describe it in one word: Sincerity.

It’s the bane of the cynic’s existence, and of many critics as well. You don’t see Anne Murray pop up on too many lists when discussing the greatest country artists of all time, or even the greatest pop-country singers of all time, even though she’s definitely both.  Ditto for Kenny Rogers and my once future wife Olivia Newton-John, who also fit well into both categories.

But there are some artists who exude sincerity and still are treated with reverence, like Loretta Lynn and Alan Jackson.  What makes them different?  I think it’s the added perception of authenticity that differentiates them from the artists above.

Take Dolly Parton as a case study. Rare is the critic or country music historian who doesn’t speak highly of both her pre-1976 and post-1999 output, where her music was firmly grounded in her mountain roots.  But her pop era – roughly 1977-1986 – is widely maligned.  The sincerity is there all the way throughout her career, whether it’s delivering the brilliant working class social commentary present in both “In the Good Old Days” and “9 to 5″, or when she’s just being hopelessly maudlin, be it with “Daddy Come and Get Me” or “Me and Little Andy.”

I think that she gets less credit for that period because there’s a sense that she’s being something that she’s not, that the authenticity is lacking.  When you think someone is being inauthentic in their sincerity, it’s hard for some to embrace them.  I think that I’m in the minority in that I don’t care much if someone is authentic, so long as they’re sincere.

Where things fall apart for me are when I perceive authenticity without being able to sense the sincerity in the performances. This is my major issue with many of the more traditional artists today. I think Jamey Johnson, Gretchen Wilson, and Brad Paisley are completely authentic in their music. They are who they say they are, and such. But I have trouble getting into them because they don’t come off as genuinely sincere.

It’s hard to articulate this, but to use Paisley as an example, he often sounds to my ears like he’s emotionally divorced from what he’s singing. The brain is plugged in, but I don’t feel the heart.   I loved, loved, loved “Letter to Me” because his voice cracked with emotion. I felt the sincerity that I don’t feel when I hear “Anything Like Me” or “Little Moments.”

Meanwhile, Carrie Underwood can rarely do wrong with me because she drips with sincerity, something that was prevalent even during her embryonic Idol days, but has really come into play with her writing so much of her material.  “Change” is my favorite song she’s done so far, not just because I fully agree with the message, but that she sings it with such sincerity. Does she live out the message in her own life?  I have no idea.  But her performance is so powerful to my ears that it being her authentic life story is as irrelevant to me as the fact that Sean Penn and Susan Sarandon aren’t really a death row convict and a Catholic nun, respectively.

Sincerity over authenticity, if I have to choose.  Both are great to have, but the former is more essential than the latter in the music that I love the most. It may be a meaningless distinction in the end, but it’s the only explanation I can come up with for me usually liking songs much better by great singers than by the original songwriters, and for Laura Bell Bundy getting so much more play on my iPod than Taylor Swift, the most genuinely authentic teen star ever.  Or at least since Lesley Gore.

With that all said, how about we listen to some Anne Murray? She’s awesome.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYAcE7DKpmQ

There was a lot of good music out there in 2010, provided you knew where to look.  Sometimes, you could even find it on the radio.  Here are the top ten albums of 2010, according to our staff:

#10
Easton Corbin
Easton Corbin

With the charisma of Clay Walker and the chops of George Strait, Easton Corbin sauntered onto the mainstream country music scene with a hit song that –refreshingly– name-checked “country” in all the right ways. He needs no such affirmation, though, as his debut album is a collection of effortlessly neo-traditionalist songs, ripe with sincerity. It’s fair to compare Corbin to his obvious influences, but there’s something about the natural, youthful effervescence he brings to his music that makes it sparkle all on its own. – Tara Seetharam

#9
Freight Train
Alan Jackson

Like an old, trusted friend, Freight Train is easy to take for granted – and that’s a shame, because it’s as rousing as any of the boundary-pushing albums released this year. Jackson returns to his signature sound on this album, sinking comfortably into the set of twelve songs but never skimping on emotional investment. From the smoking “Freight Train” to the exquisite “Till the End” to the shuffling “I Could Get Used To This Loving Thing,” Jackson reminds us that his formula of bare-bones authenticity and quiet charm is as relevant and rewarding as ever. – TS

#8
I Am What I Am
Merle Haggard

You know what’s so great about a veteran country star acting their age? In the process, they prove that those on the latter end of their life are every bit as interesting – more so, really – than the young folks that dominate all forms of media today.

Haggard’s body may have aged.  His voice, maybe a little bit.  But his razor-sharp songwriting is still as potent as ever, whether he’s writing a love song, reflecting on politics on his lifetime, or simply telling the story of an entire life through the house that they never got around to moving up from.  The album’s title track would’ve sounded defiant in his younger years, but today, it’s as calm and confident a statement of self-assurance as Frank Sinatra singing “My Way.” – Kevin Coyne

#7
The Reason Why
Little Big Town

A welcome return by the most sonically unique act in mainstream country. Several reviews of this album have pegged Karen Fairchild as the group’s star; I say all four members are compelling soloists, and the real star is still the harmonies, which imbue each song they touch with unique textures and communal warmth.

The title track or “All the Way Down” would feel like slight filler in most artists’ hands; with Little Big Town, they become campfire anthems. “Rain on a Tin Roof” could be a snoozer; with Little Big Town, you actually hear the rain as the voices swell. They’re even better when they and producer Wayne Kirkpatrick take chances with the arrangements; check the groovy beat driving “Runaway Train” or the swampy gospel trimmings of “Little White Church.”  Continued experimentation encouraged – though what’s here already sounds mighty fine. – Dan Milliken

#6
Lifted Off the Ground
Chely Wright

The spectrum of Lifted Off The Ground is wide, ranging from tender-to-the-touch to caustically honest to brilliantly clever (the fantastic “Notes to the Coroner”) – and that just describes its lyrics. Sonically, it’s a blast of sounds, expertly crafted but largely diverse. In the hands of another artist, the sum of all these mismatched parts might have been disastrous, but Wright is the glue that holds this album together, an artist staunchly committed to exploring her perspective, her emotions and herself, painful and messy though the process may be. The result is an album that cuts more deeply than perhaps anything else released this year. – TS

#5
Achin’ and Shakin’
Laura Bell Bundy

She can sing, she can write, and she’s got as clear a point of view that shines through so clearly it’s unmistakably her own.  Much has been made of the concept album set up – six Achin’ ballads, followed by six Shakin’ rockers.  But what could have been a gimmick, and certainly would’ve been with weaker material, ends up a timely reminder of the album as an art form in the first place.

In an era where albums are overly bloated with more songs than there are ideas, only to be whittled down to a few tracks cherry-picked for the iPod, Achin’ and Shakin’ demands to be listened to in sequence and in its entirety.  Not because it’s so deep and meaningful. Just because it’s pure entertainment. – KC

#4
Welder
Elizabeth Cook

Smart, frank, audacious and sneakingly sensitive, Welder feels like Elizabeth Cook properly claiming the spirit of country’s pioneering women as her own. Very much her own – who else could include one song called “Yes to Booty” and another called “Mama’s Funeral” on the same album and have them both totally work? It can be a bit of tonal whiplash if you’re the full-listen-through type, but the high quality, at least, is pretty consistent. – DM

#3
Ghost Train: The Studio B Sessions
Marty Stuart

Marty Stuart is lauded for his preservation of country music history. He’s even published a book of photos that essentially chronicles country music. So, it’s only fitting that he creates an album that recognizes the history of the music as well.

Ghost Train is a crisp collection of mostly original songs that hearkens back to the sounds of yesteryear while still managing to sound accessible to the modern listener. The arrangements are variations of what is generally accepted as traditional country music. Therefore, they’re not narrowed down to a single sound, but rather, the album represents several facets of the traditional side of country
music history.

As a result, the ghosts of country music legends can be heard on this project, including Johnny Cash, Porter Wagoner and Waylon Jennings. Not only are their signature sounds utilized at various points, but Cash and Wagoner both contributed in their own ways – Cash being the co-writer of the philosophically conscious “Hangman” (the last song that he wrote before he died) and Wagoner being the inspiration behind the mostly spoken “Porter Wagoner’s Grave.”

No song from this album was played on mainstream radio in 2010. However, by using mostly new and all engaging songs, Ghost Train is a wonderful lesson on where country music came from, even as it has drastically changed over the years. – LW

#2
The Guitar Song
Jamey Johnson

This generous 25-track album is divided into two discs: black for the darker songs and white for the lighter fare. While the black disc doesn’t get as bleak as some of the famously dark material on his previous album, it still covers difficult territory in loneliness, poverty, disappointment, heartbreak and the other themes that make a rich country song. The best of these songs include “Lonely at the Top” (a previously unrecorded Keith Whitley co-write), the dark and swampy “Poor Man’s Blues”, the covers of “Set ‘Em Up Joe” and “Mental Revenge” and the desperate “Can’t Cash My Checks.”

The white disc lightens up, but only as much as one might expect from the mostly morose Johnson. Life still isn’t all roses and sunshine, but we’re given relief thanks to glimpses of sensitivity, love and reminiscences, along with comparison to a dog (“Dog in the Yard”) and the personification of a guitar (“The Guitar Song”). The highlight of this disc is the live recording of “That’s Why I Write Songs”, as it pays tribute to his songwriting heroes.

As was the case with Johnson’s breakthrough album, That Lonesome Song (one of Country Universe’s Best Albums of 2008), The Guitar Song is not perfect. But like it is with the man and voice who sings these songs, it doesn’t aim to be perfect, which is the beauty of this album. There’s no glossiness, there’s no auto tune to make a rough voice smoother, and its purpose is neither to get people’s feet moving nor fists pumping. Instead, we’re allowed to have some fun, but we’re also required to face hard times and reality. – LW

#1
Up On the Ridge
Dierks Bentley

It’s admirable that Bentley took on an artistically challenging project that plucked him out of his comfort zone. It’s heartening that his intentions seem pure and firmly rooted in his passion for country music. And it’s inspiring that, as a once commercially successful artist, he’s daring the mainstream to pay attention to his oddball project – and maybe even embrace it.

But let’s be honest: none of this would have mattered much if the result hadn’t been an album as rich and vibrant as Up On The Ridge. Is it bluegrass or bluegrass-flavored? Heck if I know, but it’s so interesting -sonically, lyrically and collaboratively – that it transcends its classification. With its progressive mixture of sounds, voices and ideas, it strikes an intriguing balance of relevant and reverent, and that’s exactly what we need to move the country music genre forward. – TS

Part 1: #20-#11

Usually with country records, you know what to expect after the first twenty seconds.

“Good Girl” toys brilliantly with those expectations.

It starts off as a typical Carrie “attitude” song, but even in the opening section, something’s different.  Her voice is raw and gritty, lacking the typical polish that made earlier songs in this vein sound a bit forced.   It leads into a fairly typical country chorus, and as that’s coming to an end, you’re ready for the second verse.

But it doesn’t come just yet.  Instead, the hand claps stop, the band slows down, and she lets the melody hang, repeating “go” and “he’s low” in a hypnotizing, almost soothing way.  Just as you’re being lulled into submission, the record snaps back to life, as she rattles off the reasons a good girl wants to believe in that no-good man.

Familiarity sets in, and as the chorus runs into the bridge, I was reveling in that “go”/”he’s low” construct the second time around, until the rug was pulled out from me again.  Instead of completing the bridge this time, a blistering guitar solo tears through, leading up to a ferocious rock vocal that would make Janis proud.

As the song reaches its climax, I braced for the inevitable. A song that builds up this much energy always ends up crossing the line, ending with a loud and cluttered bang.  Once again, she zags.  Instead of escalating, the band drops out entirely, and the final ten seconds of the song is just Carrie – no backup singers, no band, not even a hand clap.  It actually ends with ten seconds of unadorned a cappella.

In three-and-a-half minutes, Underwood surprised me more than any country recording since “Giddy On Up”, and without any of the accompanying camp.   I’ve always been a fan of hers, because Glory to God in the Highest That Voice, but I never suspected that she’d be this relentlessly creative.

An absolutely exhilarating record.

Written by Chris DeStefano, Ashley Gorley, and Carrie Underwood

Grade: A

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7I9RLe717m8

Laura Bell Bundy made a distinctly memorable impression when she blew into Nashville fresh off Broadway four years ago.  Of all the major label country albums released in 2009, few were more polarizing than Bundy’s genre-bending Mercury Nashville release Achin’ and Shakin’.  Maybe you thought it was brilliant.  Maybe you thought it was atrocious.  But there was one thing that it definitely wasn’t – boring.

“Two Step” is boring.

It’s dull, repetitive, tasteless, and utterly forgettable.

The problem isn’t that it’s a pop song masquerading as a country song.  The problem is that nothing about the lyrics, construction, melody, or production feels clever or interesting in any way.  The song leans far too heavily on mundane repetitions of its unremarkable title, and with “Two Step” already floundering, a Colt Ford hick-rap bridge is not going to be the thing to save it.

I know she can do better than this because she has before.  Let’s just hope that Bundy’s future releases on her new Big Machine label home will focus a little less on choreography and a little more on content.

Written by Laura Bell Bundy, Andy Davis, Lance Kotara, Adam McInnis, and Bryan Ray

Grade:  D+

For the second year in a row, our seven writers – Kevin Coyne, Leeann Ward, Dan Milliken, Tara Seetharam, Ben Foster, Jonathan Keefe, and Sam Gazdziak –  individually listed our twenty favorite albums and singles of the year. It’s a diverse crop of singles, some of which dominated country radio, while others were primarily heard in the Americana, bluegrass, and alternative country worlds. Today, we present the first half of our singles list, with the conclusion to follow tomorrow. Share your favorites in the comments!

#40
“Someone Somewhere Tonight”
Kellie Pickler

Individual rankings:  #16 – Ben; #19 – Tara

A sweeping power ballad anchored by an intimate chorus and Pickler’s pleading sincerity.  - Tara Seetharam

#39
“Strong”
Will Hoge

Individual rankings: #10 – Sam

Yeah, it’s the Chevy song, but whatever it takes to get Will Hoge introduced to a larger audience can’t be a bad thing. His lyrics about a true salt-of-the-earth individual ring true without ever steering into maudlin territory, and the line, “he ain’t jut tough, he’s strong,” is a great hook. It probably moved a fair number of pickup trucks, too. - Sam Gazdziak

#38
“Bourbon in Kentucky”
Dierks Bentley

Individual rankings: #9 – Leeann

Although Bentley vies for radio play, “Bourbon in Kentucky” still sounds unique enough to stand out from the generic bombast of the male players on current country radio. In service to the intense angst of the song, the wailing guitars and the mix of Bentley’s and Kacey Musgraves’ emotive vocals make this single a riveting sonic and emotional experience. – Leeann Ward

#37
“You and I”
Laura Bell Bundy

Individual rankings: #8 – Jonathan

Laura Bell Bundy goes more-Shania-than-Shania on a cover of Lady Gaga’s “You and I” that aches and shakes in equal measure. Bundy’s music is best when she embraces her campiest impulses, so it makes perfect sense for her to take a signature hit by the most theatrical star in pop and lasso it into the country genre. - Jonathan Keefe

#36
“You Can’t Make Old Friends”
Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton

Individual rankings: #7 – Kevin

After several attempts to recreate the youthful playfulness of the classic “Islands in the Stream”, Rogers and Parton embrace their age and confront their own mortality. It’s an obvious truth that no matter how great a new friend is, they can’t replace the shared memories of someone you’ve known for a long time. Even if you’ve since parted ways, you still share a part of the other’s identity. How fitting that these two old friends are ours as well, making the entire proceedings that much more poignant. - Kevin Coyne

#35
“I’ll Be There”
The SteelDrivers

Individual rankings:  #7 – Leeann

It’s almost unheard of for a group to lose a lead singer as dynamic as Chris Stapleton and still be as strong as ever with a replacement. Gary Nichols, however, managed to seamlessly slip into the SteelDriver’s front spot with the newly revamped band’s first single, “I’ll Be There.” The song is deliciously haunting both in content and melody. - Leeann Ward

#34
“Want Me Too”
Charlie Horsham

Individual rankings:  #7 – Dan

Imagine if your favorite Keith Urban song and your favorite Diamond Rio song were to meet in the middle ‘neath that old Georgia pi-i-iiine. You might end up with something like Worsham’s second single, a lovestruck tail-wagger with Urban drive and Rio harmonies. Show me a cuter line from this year than “My heart’s skippin’ like a stone on the water!” - Dan Milliken

#33
“Red”
Taylor Swift

Individual rankings:  #6 – Dan

“Red” is a curious mix of brilliant similes (“Fighting with him was like trying to solve a crossword and realizing there’s no right answer”), plain ol’ descriptions posing as similes (“Touching him was like realizing all you ever wanted was right there in front of you”), and logical pretzels twisted against their will into similes (“Forgetting him was like trying to know somebody you never met”—what!). But Swift’s passion and command of melody pull the disparate pieces together, resulting in one of the year’s most unique and compulsively listenable singles. - Dan Milliken

#32
“All Over the Road”
Easton Corbin
Individual rankings:  #6 – Ben

A delicious slice of steel-heavy nineties-esque escapist country bliss – complete with a breezy melody and an infectious, laid-back vocal performance. More please. - Ben Foster

#31
“Beat This Summer”
Brad Paisley

Individual rankings: #11 – Ben; #19 – Leeann

With a hooky sing-along melody, addictive guitar riff, and a unique genre-bending arrangement, Paisley proves that summer hits don’t have to suck.  - Ben Foster

#30
“Pocket Change”
Mando Seanz

Individual rankings:  #5 – Sam

Texas radio stations jumped on this single when it was released, with good reason. Saenz has been known for his quiet, introspective ballads in the past, but “Pocket Change” starts with a slow burn before exploding into a full-blown rocker. “Where’s my Studebaker, I’m nobody’s pocket change,” he snarls as he walks/runs away from a bad love. - Sam Gazdziak

#29
“Weed Instead of Roses”
Ashley Monroe

Individual rankings:  #16 – Tara, Jonathan; #20 – Sam

One woman’s plea to pump some action into her deflated marriage – via weed, leather and whips. It pops because it’s provocative, but it works because Monroe blends delightful charm with tongue-in-cheek boredom like the pro that she is.  - Tara Seetharam

#28
“See You Again”
Carrie Underwood

Individual rankings:  #1 – Kevin

“See You Again” combines three of my favorite things: death, positivity, and power vocals. The entire premise that a person can look past their grief because their faith tells them they’ll be reunited with their lost loved one is hardly new to country music, but it’s rarely presented with such confident bravado and so little melancholy. I can’t think of another singer who could pull that off as believably as Underwood, who by the end of these proceedings makes me hope that the choir of angels in heaven sound like her insanely catchy backup singers do here. - Kevin Coyne

#27
“Carry Me Back to Virginia”
Old Crow Medicine Show

Individual rankings: #9 – Sam; #12 – Jonathan

For anyone who wants to discover Old Crow Medicine Show beyond “Wagon Wheel,” this song is an excellent primer. Lightning-fast fiddle and vocals from Ketch Secor with a song about the Civil War, and crack band of musicians that favor enthusiasm over the precision that is often found in bluegrass. They’ve been often imitated but never duplicated. - Sam Gazdziak

#26
“Blowin’ Smoke”
Kacey Musgraves

Individual rankings: #7 – Ben; #15 – Sam

For three glorious minutes, the voice of the working class is heard once again on country radio. Musgraves suitably renders the song with a rundown sigh of a performance, while a gritty, rumbling arrangement places the listener right in the midst of the smoky haze. - Ben Foster

#25
“You Got Me”
Ashley Monroe

Individual rankings: #14 – Kevin; #15 – Ben; #16 – Leeann

On the surface, it’s obvious that this is about an entangled dysfunctional relationship, but listening deeper reveals that the relationship is with an addictive substance. Encased in a deep melancholy, the song cleverly and astutely captures the parallels with the two types of relational embattlements. The observations acknowledge that while the sources may be different, many of the general effects are the same. - Leeann Ward

#24
“Chill in the Air”
Amos Lee

Individual rankings:  #14 – Tara; #15 – Dan; #16 – Kevin

A smooth yet moody cocktail of country, folk, and soul that rides its long drawl into a sweet, simple chorus. Shoulda been a hit. - Dan Milliken

#23
“DONE.”
The Band Perry

Individual rankings: #6 – Jonathan; #15 – Tara

At a time when most contemporary country acts are aspiring to sound like arena rock, metal, and post-grunge bands that were terrible in the first place, The Band Perry at least had the good taste to blatantly rip off one of the best rock singles of the last decade for their hit “DONE.” - Jonathan Keefe

#22
“I Know What You Did Last Night”
Pam Tillis & Lorrie Morgan

Individual rankings: #10 – Kevin, Ben

They may be in their fifties, but make no mistake about it: Pam Tillis and Lorrie Morgan can still party down when they want to. Built around good-humored conversational interplay between two old friends, “I Know What You Did Last Night” is one of the freshest, most entertaining up-tempos sent to radio this year, and a reminder that Tillis and Morgan are still two of country music’s most vibrant talents.  - Ben Foster

#21
“I’d Rather Hear I Don’t Love You (Than Nothing at All)”
Rhonda Vincent

Individual rankings:  #9 – Ben; #10 – Leeann

Rhonda Vincent is always supreme whether she’s singing traditional bluegrass or, in this case, a good ol’ country weeper. Supported with the best kind of country acoustic instrumentation, Vincent’s voice satisfyingly leans into the heartbreak and desperation of a woman who is gripping a relationship that is obviously already dead. She knows it’s over, but her heart says that it’s not over until he literally says it’s over.  - Leeann Ward

Country Universe’s Best of 2013:

• Best Albums of 2013, Part One: #40-#21
• Best Albums of 2013, Part Two: #20-#1
• Best Singles of 2013, Part One: #40-#21
• Best Singles of 2013, Part Two: #20-#1

Texas is the most sung about state in country music. Musicians and singers can even make a good living by just touring around Texas. So, it’s no wonder that even those of us who have no  physical or emotional connection to Texas might still have numerous Texas related songs that we love. Just like the state of Texas, my list of Texas songs is very large, but I did my best to narrow my list down to five of my favorites.

1. Bill Chambers, “Dreaming ’bout Texas”
2. Charlie Robison, “the Girls from Texas”
3. Don Schlitz, “Death in Texas”
4. Laura Bell Bundy, “Texas”
5. Mac Davis, “Texas in My Rearview Mirror”

Now that our final lists of the 40 Best Singles of 2015 and 20 Best Albums of 2015 are posted and open for discussion, we have decided to post each of our seven writers’ individual ballots for the year-end countdowns, so we can give at least a bit of attention to even more great music from the past year.

When tabulating our lists, we assign points using a weighted ballot that prioritizes the music that each contributor feels most passionately about. The total points across all ballots are added together, and then a consensus multiplier factor recognizes the music that resonated most strongly with the Country Universe crew as a whole. Over the past several years, we’ve tinkered with our formulas a bit, and we’re pleased with how our methodology produces lists that allow for our individual writers’ unique voices and tastes to be reflected while also recognizing quality music with across-the-board appeal.

This year, that meant we saw mainstream superstars like Reba, Alan Jackson, and Eric Church ranked alongside lesser-known acts like Jamie Lin Wilson and Humming House on our albums list, while Tami Neilson, Jason Isbell, and Drake White rubbed elbows with Carrie Underwood and Maddie & Tae on our singles list.

A few quick stats for posterity’s sake: Isbell’s Something More Than Free, Chris Stapleton’s Traveler, and Church’s Mr. Misunderstood were the only albums to appear on all seven ballots; Ashley Monroe’s “The Blade” and Isbell’s “24 Frames” both appeared on all six ballots for the year’s best singles. Randy Rogers’ & Wade Bowen’s Hold My Beer, Volume 1 and Kasey Chambers’ Bittersweet both earned three votes each but still missed the final list, while Alan Jackson’s “Jim and Jack and Hank” was the only single to earn at least two votes and not make the top 40 list. Sometimes math is cruel.

What was great about 2015, particularly in comparison to the leaner offerings of the past few years, was that we could have easily posted longer lists of music worth seeking out. Just because something didn’t make the cut on our final lists, that didn’t mean that it was ignored entirely by the staff. Last year, most of the crew here felt like they were straining to fill out complete ballots with music they liked; this year, the challenge for many of us was in cutting music we really loved from our lists.

Too much good music: That’s a good problem to have.

So, alpha-ma-betically, each of our writers’ personal ballots are listed below.

Kevin John Coyne:

Albums

01. Jason Isbell, Something More Than Free
02. Reba McEntire, Love Somebody
03. Kacey Musgraves, Pageant Material
04. Eric Church, Mr. Misunderstood
05. Carrie Underwood, Storyteller
06. Alan Jackson, Angels & Alcohol
07. Maddie & Tae, Start Here
08. Laura Bell Bundy, Another Piece of Me
09. Watkins Family, Watkins Family Hour
10. Gretchen Peters, Blackbirds
11. K.T. Oslin, Simply
12. Willie Nelson & Merle Haggard, Django & Jimmie
13. Don Henley, Cass County
14. Rodney Crowell & Emmylou Harris, The Traveling Kind
15. Chris Stapleton, Traveller
16. Tim McGraw, Damn Country Music
17. Toby Keith, 35 MPH Town
18. Iris DeMent, The Trackless Woods
19. Punch Brothers, Phosphorescent Blues
20. Rhiannon Giddens, Tomorrow Is My Turn

Singles

01. Miranda Lambert, “Little Red Wagon”
02. Carrie Underwood, “Little Toy Guns”
03. Terri Clark, “I Cheated on You”
04. Jason Isbell, “24 Frames”
05. Eric Church, “Like a Wrecking Ball”
06. Ashley Monroe, “The Blade”
07. Eric Church, “Mr. Misunderstood”
08. Carrie Underwood, “Smoke Break”
09. Trisha Yearwood, “I Remember You”
10. Dwight Yoakam, “Second Hand Heart”
11. Toby Keith, “35 MPH Town”
12. Jason Isbell, “Something More Than Free”
13. George Strait, “Let It Go”
14. Miranda Lambert, “Bathroom Sink”
15. Kacey Musgraves, “Biscuits”
16. Toby Keith, “Beautiful Stranger”
17. Miranda Lambert with Little Big Town, “Smokin’ and Drinkin'”
18. Alan Jackson, “Jim and Jack and Hank”
19. Jason Isbell, “The Life You Chose”
20. Little Big Town, “Girl Crush”

Ben Foster:

Albums

01. Ashley Monroe, The Blade
02. Kacey Musgraves, Pageant Material
03. Jason Isbell, Something More Than Free
04. Maddie & Tae, Start Here
05. Chris Stapleton, Traveller
06. Eric Church, Mr. Misunderstood
07. Willie Nelson & Merle Haggard, Django and Jimmie
08. K.T. Oslin, Simply
09. Reba McEntire, Love Somebody
10. Alan Jackson, Angels & Alcohol

Singles

01. Kacey Musgraves, “Dime Store Cowgirl”
02. Ashley Monroe, “The Blade”
03. Drake White, “It Feels Good”
04. Jason Isbell, “24 Frames”
05. Trisha Yearwood, “I Remember You”
06. Jason Isbell, “The Life You Chose”
07. Maddie & Tae, “Shut Up and Fish”
08. Kacey Musgraves, “Biscuits”
09. Toby Keith, “Beautiful Stranger”
10. Kristian Bush, “Trailer Hitch”
11. Tami Neilson featuring Marlon Williams, “Lonely”
12. Carrie Underwood, “Smoke Break”
13. Toby Keith, “35 MPW Town”
14. Miranda Lambert, “Bathroom Sink”
15. Carrie Underwood, “Little Toy Guns”
16. Ashley Monroe, “On To Something Good”
17. Alan Jackson, “Jim and Jack and Hank”
18. Maddie & Tae, “Fly”
19. Little Big Town, “Girl Crush”
20. Eric Church, “Mr. Misunderstood”

Jonathan Keefe:

Singles

01. Kacey Musgraves, “Dime Store Cowgirl”
02. Ashley Monroe, “The Blade”
03. Drake White, “It Feels Good”
04. Tami Neilson featuring Marlon Williams, “Lonely”
05. Lee Ann Womack, “Send It On Down”
06. Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, “S.O.B.”
07. Jason Isbell, “24 Frames”
08. Kip Moore, “I’m to Blame”
09. Rhett Miller, “Most in the Summertime”
10. Turnpike Troubadours, “Down Here”
11. Jennifer Nettles, “Sugar”
12. Allison Moorer, “Tear Me Apart”
13. Robert Earl Keen, “Hot Corn, Cold Corn”
14. Miranda Lambert, “Little Red Wagon”
15. Josh Ritter, “Getting Ready to Get Down”
16. Cam, “Burning House”
17. Little Big Town, “Girl Crush”
18. Eric Church, “Like a Wrecking Ball”
19. Lindi Ortega, “Ashes”
20. Maddie & Tae, “Shut Up & Fish”

Larry Rogowin:

Albums

01. Punch Brothers, Phosphorescent Blues
02. Jason Isbell, Something More Than Free
03. Rhiannon Giddens, Tomorrow Is My Turn
04. Ashley Monroe, The Blade
05. Andrew Combs, All These Dreams
06. Darrell Scott, Ten: Songs of Ben Bullington
07. Brandi Carlile, The Firewatcher’s Daughter
08. Chris Stapleton, Traveller
09. Allison Moorer, Down to Believing
10. Humming House, Revelries
11. Jamie Lin Wilson, Holidays & Wedding Rings
12. Eric Church, Mr. Misunderstood
13. Ward Thomas, From Where We Stand
14. Watkins Family, Watkins Family Hour
15. Randy Rogers & Wade Bowen, Hold My Beer, Volume 1
16. The Mavericks, Mono
17. Don Henley, Cass County
18. Dwight Yoakam, Second Hand Heart
19. Rodney Crowell & Emmylou Harris, The Traveling Kind
20. Kacey Musgraves, Pageant Material

Singles

01. Jason Isbell, “24 Frames”
02. Lee Ann Womack, “Send It On Down”
03. Ashley Monroe, “The Blade”
04. Turnpike Troubadours, “Down Here”
05. Jason Isbell, “Something More Than Free”
06. Punch Brothers, “I Blew It Off”
07. Rhiannon Giddens, “Black Is The Color”
08. Andrew Combs, “Foolin'”
09. Chris Stapleton, “Traveller”
10. Cam, “Burning House”
11. Rodney Crowell & Emmylou Harris, ‘The Traveling Kind”
12. Jason Isbell, “The Life You Chose”
13. Humming House, “Great Divide”
14. Eric Church, “Mr. Misunderstood”
15. Allison Moorer, “Like It Used To Be”
16. Randy Rogers & Wade Bowen, “Standards”
17. Kacey Musgraves, “Dime Store Cowgirl”
18. Little Big Town, “Girl Crush”
19. Lee Ann Womack, “Chances Are”
20. Dwight Yoakam, “Second Hand Heart”

Tara Seetharam:

Albums

01. Ashley Monroe, The Blade
02. Chris Stapleton, Traveller
03. Jason Isbell, Something More Than Free
04. Maddie & Tae, Start Here
05. Eric Church, Mr. Misunderstood
06. Rhiannon Giddens, Tomorrow Is My Turn
07. Kacey Musgraves, Pageant Material
08. Allison Moorer, Down to Believing
09. Willie Nelson & Merle Haggard, Django & Jimmie
10. Will Hoge, Small Town Dreams

Singles

01. Ashley Monroe, “The Blade”
02. Little Big Town, “Girl Crush”
03. Lee Ann Womack, “Send It On Down”
04. Jason Isbell, “24 Frames”
05. Lee Ann Womack, “Chances Are”
06. Ashley Monroe, “On To Something Good”
07. Jason Isbell, “Something More Than Free”
08. Cam, “My Mistake”
09. Drake White, “It Feels Good”
10. Kacey Musgraves, “Dime Store Cowgirl”
11. Maddie & Tae, “Shut Up And Fish”
12. Miranda Lambert, “Little Red Wagon”
13. Turnpike Troubadours, “Down Here”
14. Chris Stapleton, “Traveller”
15. Tami Neilson featuring Marlon Williams, “Lonely”
16. Jason Isbell, “The Life You Chose”
17. Eric Church, “Like a Wrecking Ball”
18. Kip Moore, “I’m to Blame”
19. Chris Stapleton, “Nobody to Blame”
20. Carrie Underwood, “Little Toy Guns”

Leeann Morrow Ward:

Albums

01. Rhiannon Giddens, Tomorrow Is My Turn
02. Alan Jackson, Angels and Alcohol
03. Don Henley, Cass County
04. Watkins Family, Watkins Family Hour
05. Jamie Lin Wilson, Holidays and Wedding Rings
06. Maddie and Tae, Start Here
07.  Chris Stapleton, Traveller
08. Ashley Monroe, The Blade
09. Gretchen Peters, Blackbirds
10. Emmylou Harris/Rodney Crowell, The Traveling Kind
11. Randy Rogers/Wade Bowen, Hold My Beer, Volume 1
12. Kristian Bush, Southern Gravity
13. Pat Green, Home
14. Jason Isbell, Something More than Free
15. Toby Keith, 35 MPH Town
16. Shovels and Rope, Busted Jukebox, Volume 1
17. Daryle Singletary, There’s Still A Little Country Left
18. Kasey Chambers, Bittersweet
19. Eric Church, Mr. Misunderstood
20. Punch Brothers, The Phosphorescent Blues

Singles

01. Chris Stapleton, “Traveller”
02. Ashley Monroe, “The Blade”
03. Lee Ann Womack, “Send It On Down”
04. Cam, “Burning House”
05. Gretchen Peters, “When All You’ve Got is a Hammer”
06. Jason Isbell, ” 24 Frames”
07. Pat Green, “While I Was Away”
08. Trisha Yearwood, “I Remember You”
09. Robert Earl Keen, “Hot Corn, Cold corn”
10. Miranda Lambert, “Roots and Wings”
11. Drake White, “It Feels Good”
12. George Strait, “Let It Go”
13. Dierks Bentley, “Riser”
14. Kristian Bush, “Trailer Hitch”
15. Brandi Carlile, “Wherever Is Your Heart”
16. Maddie & Tae, “Shut Up and Fish”
17. Randy Rogers and Wade Bowen, “Standards”
18. Jon Pardi, “Head Over Boots”
19. Jennifer Nettles, “Sugar”
20. Carrie Underwood, “Smoke Break”

We just kind of can’t with this year’s ACM nominees.

2015 was a terrific year for country music, but you’d never know it from the often inexplicable and just as often indefensible slate of nominations that the Academy of Country Music put forth this week. Fortunately, there was plenty of other good news and better taste to go around, with interesting interviews with legends Tom T. Hall, Willie Nelson, and Lucinda Williams and upstarts Lindi Ortega, Cam, and Maren Morris, great live performances from Gretchen Peters, Carrie Underwood, Ashley Monroe, John Moreland, and Josh Ritter, and an unexpected bit of shade-throwing courtesy of Charles Kelley. This week’s news cycle isn’t even dominated by Chris Stapleton for once: Another Chris– Punch Brothers’ Chris Thile– is our MVP for the week.

There’s also an impressive crop of new releases and reissues out this week. Oddly, only one of those albums is by a woman, though, which is still one more album by a woman than the ACMs could bring themselves to nominate for Album of the Year…

New Releases & Reissues, 2/05/2016
Jason Collett, Song And Dance Man (Arts & Crafts)
Luther Dickinson, Blues & Ballads – A Folksinger’s Songbook: Volumes I & II  (New West)
The Infamous Stringdusters, Ladies & Gentlemen (Compass)
Charles Kelley, The Driver (Capitol Nashville)
Doug Kershaw, Anthology: Rare Masters 1958 – 1969 (Goldenlane / Cleopatra)
Jerry Lee Lewis, Country Class (1976), Country Memories (1977) (BGO)
The O’s, Honeycomb (Punch Five)
The Pines, Above the Prairie (Red House)
Charley Pride, Did You Think to Pray (1971), A Sunshiny Day With Charley Pride (1972), Sweet Country Songs of Love by Charley Pride (1973) (BGO)
David G. Smith, First Love (Hey Dave Music)
Elliott Smith, Heaven Adores You – Original Soundtrack (UMe)
Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mountain Boys featuring Ricky Skaggs & Keith Whitley, The Complete Jessup Recordings Plus! (Real Gone Music)
Lucinda Williams, The Ghosts of Highway 20 (Highway 20)

News and Notes

The nominees for the 51st Academy of Country Music awards were announced this week. Typically, we would do a stand-alone post for these, but they’re a such a wretched lot (Chase Rice, Old Dominion, and RaeLynn are among the nominees, and the all-male Album of the Year line-up is three-fifths appalling) that we are having a hard time getting excited about them. And, as friend of the blog Deb B (a.k.a., Windmills Country) outlines in comprehensive detail, the influence of bloc voting within a particular management group further puts a damper on the whole affair. Chris Stapleton and Eric Church lead the nominees, so at least that’s something. (JK)

Don Williams was forced to postpone his 2016 tour due to unexpected hip replacement surgery. Ticket buyers are encouraged to contact local venues and authorized ticketing platforms regarding refunds. Best wishes to our Gentle Giant for a quick, safe recovery. (BF)

“Songwriters aren’t good songwriters. People are good songwriters. So all of my career I fought against sitting down as a ‘Songwriter.’ I would sit with that sneaker on my head, until I found humility and became a person.”
— Tom T. Hall, speaking to the always incisive Peter Cooper, in a lengthy interview for American Songwriter. Among the many highlights of the interview is Hall’s response to the derisive remarks Bob Dylan made about him during the “MusiCares Person Of The Year” presentation in February 2015. (JK)

“I was in the middle of a tour, playing a bunch of Bach. And I was in a hotel room practicing the B-minor Partita over and over again, and in between giving my hands a rest, I just started [strumming and singing] ‘I blew it off …’ It kind of came in even as I was blowing off practicing the B-minor Partita.”
— MacArthur Foundation certified genius Chris Thile of The Punch Brothers tells The Current about the origins of “I Blew It Off,” which ranked on our list of 2015’s best singles. Thile’s creative process mirrors that of so many other contemporary country stars! Seriously, though: He’s just the best. (JK)

Speaking of Thile, he and Sarah Jarosz premiered the new song that they penned for his new gig as host of A Prairie Home Companion. (JK)

For even more on Thile, No Depression‘s Ted Lehmann wrote an editorial that’s sure to rankle some Bluegrass purists. In “Bela Fleck and Chris Thile: Following the Artist’s Muse,” Lehmann argues that it’s the fearlessness of acts like Fleck and Thile to incorporate a wide range of influences into traditional Bluegrass music– one of the most formally conservative of musical genres– that keep the genre vital. (JK)

People magazine posted a short preview of American Masters – Loretta Lynn: Still a Mountain Girl, PBS’ documentary about the legendary artist. The film, which premieres on March 4th, features a host of stars from Miranda Lambert to Jack White who speak about her influence. (JK)

“I was really thankful just to be out of Nashville for a second. I was driving around, and all of a sudden it just hit me — the title, ‘My Church,’ popped in my mind. I was maybe looking for some sort of salvation in that moment on that writing trip. It was an escape for me — and not really a religious one, just something to get out of my own head.”
— Maren Morris, recounting the origins of her breakthrough hit, “My Church,” in an interview with Billboard. The article provides an insightful peek behind-the-curtain with Morris and co-writer busbee, who discuss the song’s structure and production choices in smart detail. (JK)

Buddy Miller’s latest album, Cayamo Sessions at Sea, was released last week and features a terrific duet with Kacey Musgraves on a cover of Buck Owens’ “Love’s Gonna Live Here.” (JK)

You can listen to Vince Gill’s new album before its February release date, thanks to NPR’s First Listen. Be sure to read Jewly Hight’s great review of the album, as well! (LMW)

And if you need a good way to spend the next 6 hours, you can play around at Six Degrees Of Vince Gill, which is exactly what it sounds like. The highest number of degrees we have yet obtained is 4, thanks to K-Pop girl group SISTAR and Icelandic indie-pop act Sigur Ros. Vince is very well-connected. (JK)

“I think we all have these skeletons in the closet or whatever demons or things that haunt us. It’s part of the human condition. I guess some folks like to pretend that part doesn’t exist and want to sweep it under the rug or whatever. It always makes me feel less alone when I realize that other people go through this same experience and is part of being human. Sometimes I tweet things like that just to show no one’s alone.”
— Lindi Ortega talks about her reputation for getting a “little dark” with Steve Wosahla of For The Country Record. (JK)

Humming House, whose album Revelries ranked on our 2015 countdown of the year’s best albums, were profiled on The Today Show for their participation in a fantastic initiative called “Sing Me A Story” that turns the life stories of children battling diseases into uplifting songs. (JK)

“Those stories [about the TVA] have fueled thousands of works of art — from films like the Coen brothers’ O Brother, Where Art Thou? to songs like Mike Cooley’s ‘Uncle Frank.’ But the stories from the other side fed the culture, too, which is how, a few years after Cooley’s song, Jason Isbell penned his own ‘TVA’ during his time in the same band. ‘Thank God for the TVA,” Isbell sang. “Where Roosevelt let us all work for an honest day’s pay.'”
— Chuck Reece, writing for Bitter Southerner, profiled photographer Micah Cash’s upcoming “Dangerous Waters” series and book in a must-read and must-see piece that makes reference to how the TVA figures into contemporary art, including songs by Drive-By Truckers and Jason Isbell. (JK)

Country Universe favorite Gretchen Peters gave a lovely performance of one of her very best songs, which is to say one of the very best songs– “On a Bus to St. Cloud”– for the BBC2’s “Celtic Connections.” Peters also won “International Album of the Year” for Blackbirds and “International Song of the Year” for its title track at The UK Americana Music Association awards this week. (JK)

Singer-songwriter Josh Ritter got dressed up in his finest painter’s overalls for a performance of his awesome single “Getting Ready to Get Down” on Conan. (JK)

“I remember when [Lady Antebellum] started, I would get all these texts and calls, especially when “Need You Now” came out: “This song is blowing my mind.” There was something so gratifying about hearing that from your peers. And then the phone kind of went silent for a few years. I was like, “Man, I wanna make music again that gets the town talkin’, that really moves people.” …For me there’s this beautiful thing of being able to have this huge commercial success with Lady Antebellum, but then being able to have this purely creative, artistic outlet. Whether it becomes this huge success or not, at least I know in my heart that I’ve made a record that I was 100% proud of and that I was uncompromising on it.”
— Charles Kelley, not exactly not throwing Lady Antebellum under the bus in an interview with Jewly Hight for NPR. Whether his solo debut, The Driver, is any less middlebrow and dull than Lady A’s last three albums remains to be seen, but it’s interesting to see that he isn’t exactly defending the trio’s work while on his promotional rounds now that they’re on a hiatus. (JK)

Ashley Monroe visited the historic Sun Studios in Memphis, where she gave a performance of “From Time To Time” from The Blade. (JK)

“For me to be able to have a major label deal and be able to make a record I love, and that they let me make, it’s just amazing. On top of that, I get a Grammy nomination for pretty much just spilling out my heart. I can’t even put (my feelings) into words.”
— Monroe again, reflecting on the success of The Blade and her nomination for Best Country Album during Nashville’s annual Grammy nominee party. The Tennessean covered the event and spoke to Monroe, Little Big Town, and contemporary Christian singer TobyMac. (JK)

Josh Brolin will play George Jones and Jessica Chastain will play Tammy Wynette in the forthcoming biopic No Show Jones. The film’s screenplay comes from the Academy Award nominated team who recently wrote Straight Outta Compton. (LMW)

Rolling Stone premiered “Something Tamed, Something Wild,” the first single from Mary Chapin Carpenter’s upcoming album, The Things That We Are Made Of, which is scheduled for release on May 6th. The album is produced by superproducer du jour Dave Cobb, and the single has more in common with Carpenter’s 90s output than with the more somnolent coffeehouse fare she’s released over the last decade. Dare we say this is the first time we’ve been excited to hear her newest album in a good long while. (JK)

Rather than performing a track from his latest album (2015’s High on Tulsa Heat) for his network television debut, John Moreland gave a riveting, stripped-down performance of “Break My Heart Sweetly” from 2013’s In the Throes on Late Night with Stephen Colbert. (JK)

“I’m a huge Frank Sinatra fan. He’s my favorite singer. I’ve been listening to him for many, many years. And I loved the way he phrased — that he kind of sung it the way he wanted to. I liked that, and felt like it was easy for me to do.”
— Willie Nelson, who sat down with veteran journalist Dan Rather for an in-depth interview, cited Frank Sinatra as his favorite singer. Their conversation was recorded for Rather’s program The Big Interview, which airs weekly on AXS-TV. Rather also interviewed Tanya Tucker this week. (JK)

“I remember when I first read Flannery O’Connor, when I was 15 or 16, and it just drew me in because I identified with it. Some of the characters in her stories reminded me of some of my relatives on my mother’s side of the family. So I’ve been trying to write about that since I started writing, but I just kind of learned how recently. It’s not easy to use the imagery in songs without sounding kind of corny, or without stereotyping things. It’s really challenging.”
— Lucinda Williams reflected on the influence of author Flannery O’Connor on her songwriting and the particular challenges involved in writing songs that evoke a specific sense of place in a fascinating interview with Vulture. The interview is a must-read for fans of Williams’ one-of-a-kind songwriting, and it spans multiple eras of her storied career. Her new album, The Ghosts of Highway 20, has been earning rave reviews, including an insightful analysis by Sam C. Mac for Slant Magazine. (JK)

Laura Bell Bundy, another Country Universe favorite, was honored this week for her work with the American Heart and American Stroke Associations. Bundy served as a national Go Red For Women spokesperson during 2015. (JK)

“I think what I’m all about is interesting melodies. I love melody a lot. And I think I come from a lot of different musical influences because I grew up in a choir that sang in lots of different languages. So by the time I finished high school, I could sing 14 languages, like World Music.”
— Cam, in an interview with “Broadway’s Electric Barnyard,” responds directly to a negative review of her album, Untamed. In addition to her notes about melody, she also addresses her approach to lyrical content and to the album’s overall production aesthetic. It’s a brief interview, but Cam impresses for her thoughtful, on-the-spot answers about her creative process. (JK)

Pop-rap artist Nelly, who is recording a country album, released his cover of Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud” Thomas Rhett’s “Die a Happy Man” this week, and it is neither more nor less country-sounding than Rhett’s single, which topped the country radio charts for 6 weeks. (JK)

“I’m not ignorant, there are a lot of people out there waiting for country music to find a little more depth and meaning. Well, I agree with you. Country music deserves that. This first song may not be what you’re looking for yet, but that’s ok, because music was not meant to be heard in singles, but in albums. My album will be out later this summer, and I can promise you one thing….if you absolutely love this progressive version, I appreciate you, and I think you will love this upcoming ALBUM.”
— Chase Rice, who released a bizarre letter to his fans this week. The letter reads as an apology for his sleazy and damn near unlistenable new single, “Whisper,” which he swears, you guys, is not representative of his album that will be released later this year. Rice asserts that the ALBUM will reflect his depth as an artist, but it remains to be seen if that amounts to the same brand of “depth” offered by Florida Georgia Line’s “Dirt” and “Confession” or Luke Bryan’s “Drink A Beer” or Cole Swindell’s “You Should Be Here” or any of the other major bro-country acts’ middling attempts at more substantive material. That Rice is already apologizing for his new single on the day of its release, though, is a strange PR maneuver. (JK)

High quality video of Carrie Underwood’s Storyteller “In the Round” tour has started to turn up online. Here, Underwood sings “Dirty Laundry” before she absolutely tears it up on the harmonica in the opening of career higlight “Choctaw County Affair,” which really just has to be a single at some point. (JK)

And for another take…

Underwood’s set list includes covers of Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s “Fishing in the Dark” and Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You.” The latter –a lovely, bare-bones showcase of her voice– has me wishing she’d make good on her promise to do an acoustic tour. (TS)

That will do it for this week! Be sure to check out Kevin’s reviews of the latest singles from Tim McGraw and Reba, and, as always, let us know in the comments if we missed anything.

tl;dr: This week is heavy on new singles and music videos for those who, y’know, don’t like to read.

But that isn’t to say there isn’t still plenty of good reading material, too. Loretta Lynn took over Reddit, Jean Shepard reflected on the anniversary of the plane crash that killed Patsy Cline, and the Georgia Satellites recognized the anniversary of their biggest hit. Jason Isbell issued notice to Steve Goodman’s “You Never Even Called Me By My Name,” while Gretchen Peters wrote a passionate editorial to The Tennesean on behalf of her son, and Holly Williams played Nashville tour guide.

On the new music front, there are offerings from Sturgill Simpson, Jason James, Michaela Anne, and many more. This week’s new releases are fairly slim– new albums by Randy Houser and Shooter Jennings along with a slew of reissued radio broadcasts from the late 1970s.

Onward!

New Releases & Reissues, 3/11/2016
Charlie Daniels Band, Saratoga Showdown: The New York Broadcast 1979. (FM Concert Broadcasts)
Jimmy Dean, Big Bad John – The Original LP – Plus All His Hit Singles 1953 – 1962. (Jasmine)
Mickey Gilley, The Definitive Hits Collection. (Real Gone Music)
Randy Houser, Fired Up. (Stoney Creek)
Shooter Jennings, Countach (For Giorgio). (Black Country Rock)
Waylon Jennings, Return Of The Outlaw: The Abbott, Texas Broadcast, 1977. (FM Concert Broadcasts)
Daniel Kushnir, Nothing Left to Give. (Permanent Vacation)
Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Lost 1978 Broadcast. (FM Concert Broadcasts)
Willie Nelson & Leon Russell, Riding The Northeast Trail: The New Jersey Broadcast, 1979. (FM Concert Broadcasts)
Pete Yorn, Arranging Time. (Capitol)

News & Notes

Jason Isbell– you may know him from music!– also released a new 180-minute, four-chord song via The Late Show with Stephen Colbert: “The Saddest Song Ever.” It’s so much depressing nonsense. (JK)

“Edith at the gas station by the house was listening to @joeyandrory singing ‘If I Needed You.’ I like Edith at the gas station by the house.”
— Isbell again, being very good at Twitter, per usual. (JK)

“Somebody made the comment that it was the song that saved rock & roll and ruined country music at the same time. It meant, it brought rock & roll back to its roots for a few minutes, but it turned the corner on country being afraid of dumb loud guitars.”
— Dan Baird, frontman of the Georgia Satellites, talks about the reception and reputation of his band’s signature hit, “Keep Your Hands To Yourself,” on its 30th anniversary. (JK)

Jason James debuted the music video for his single, “I’ve Been Drinkin’ More,” a 90s throwback that sounds like it would have been a huge radio hit a generation ago. (JK)

“It was beginning to get dusky dark, and the most horrible feeling come over me that had ever come over me in my life. I just stood there a couple of minutes and kind of froze. I thought I was going into labor. … That’s about the time the plane crash happened.”
— Jean Shepard, reflecting on country music’s “darkest day” and the plane crash that killed Patsy Cline, Lloyd “Cowboy” Copas, Hawkshaw Hawkins, and Randy Hughes in a fascinating piece by Peter Cooper of The Tennessean. (JK)

“Today, more than twenty years into my career as a recording artist, I still play along with the TV, with movies, with stories. And one of my biggest dreams has always been that someday I would write my own TV theme song. A few of my songs have appeared in TV shows as background music, but the elusive theme song has always been just out of reach. I finally did it! I can’t believe it, but it is happening. How it happened is a long story, but it is true. It started when I got invited to be a celebrity guest on Say Yes to the Dress, a show about wedding dresses… something I truly know nothing about. It was fascinating.”
— Kristian Bush, in one of the week’s more unexpected stories, talks about how he came to write “Forever Yes,” the new theme song to TLC’s long-running series, Say Yes To The Dress. (JK)

Holly Williams wrote a 24-hour guide to Nashville, highlighting her favorite go-to locales, for Garden & Gun magazine. Also at Garden & Gun, Shakey Graves gave a killer “Back Porch Session” performance. (JK)

Sean Watkins premiered his new instrumental single, “Local Honey,” from his forthcoming album, What To Fear. (JK)

Country Universe favorite Laura Bell Bundy joined some celebrity pals, including Lily Tomlin and Alan Cumming, for comedienne Carol Channing’s 95th birthday celebration. (JK)

“As a First Lady, I can’t take that. I’m not the First Lady. Kitty Wells is the first. Well let’s say Miranda Lambert, she’s meaner than hell. I love her singing. She wouldn’t care if people listened or not. She’s an outlaw!”
— Loretta Lynn, providing a quick history lesson and endorsing Miranda Lambert, as part of an AMA (“ask me anything”) thread on Reddit earlier this week. The entire thread is worth a read— not always the case for Reddit– and Lynn does an impressive job in connecting with a new generation of fans using that platform! (JK)

Last week, we included the music video for Margo Price’s “Hurtin’ (On The Bottle),” and this week, we have Price’s performance of her feisty single in her Grand Ole Opry debut. (JK)

Luke Bryan announced that his new single, “Huntin’, Fishin,’ Lovin’ Every Day,” will debut at sporting and outdoor goods superstore Cabelas. (JK)

“Robert Hunter really filled that big space already. We did a lot. We’ve done almost a hundred songs and I hope we keep going. I got to write a couple with Elvis Costello and that was really great too. One guy that I wished I could have written with was Doc Pomus. I lived in New York for a while and he lived in my building. Doc wrote things like ‘Viva Las Vegas’ and ‘Little Sister’ and ‘Save the Last Dance for Me.’ I just love the stuff he wrote and I never got to write with him.”
— Jim Lauderdale talks about the artists he wishes he could write with, in a terrific interview with Sam Buck at Milk Crater. (JK)

Stereogum premiered “Luisa,” the fantastic new single from Michaela Anne. The single features Rodney Crowell on harmony vocals, in addition to an awesome honky-tonk guitar. (JK)

KET, the local PBS affiliate for Central Kentucky, recently aired an episode of its series Kentucky Life that featured country artist Marty Brown. Brown’s wife, Shellie, talks about how she signed him up for America’s Got Talent, which led to the recent resurgence in interest in his music. (JK)

Singer-songwriter Gretchen Peters penned a thoughtful and heartfelt editorial for The Tennesean regarding Tennessee’s current bill that would prohibit transgender youth from using the public bathroom for their expressed gender. (JK)

“I think we are closer then ever. Everyone is feeling good and singing good and that is important… We love this group, we love to sing and none of us want to see the legacy end. We are popular still because we are an act that has been passed down. Kids love the Oaks because Daddy and Granddaddy loved the Oaks!”
— Joe Bonsall spoke with Adrian Peel of Digital Journal regarding the Oak Ridge Boys’ longevity, plans for releasing new music in 2016, and ongoing popularity as a touring act. (JK)

Kristian Bush isn’t the only artist releasing wedding-themed music this week. Ryan Shupe & The Rubberband premiered the music video for their new single, “Just Say Yes.” (JK)

Albumism compiled a career-spanning playlist of some of Neko Case’s very best tracks. For anyone not familiar with Case’s astonishing catalogue, it’s a great starting point. (JK)

Sturgill Simpson’s new single, “Brace For Impact (Live A Little),” may not be straightforwardly country-sounding, but its music video could not be cooler. (JK)

That’s it for this week! As always, let us know in the comments if there are things we missed!

A Country Music Conversation: Introduction and Index

A Country Music Conversation: Spotify Playlist (thanks to reader Justin Lai)

Previous Entry: Day 7: “Even the Man in the Moon is Crying” to “Follow Your Arrow”

Day 8 features tracks from Ray Price, Laura Bell Bundy, Jeannie C. Riley, Nickel Creek, and George Jones.

“For the Good Times”
Ray Price

Written by Kris Kristofferson

Ray Price was one of the few male artists in country music history to suffer a backlash from traditionalists when he went for a smoother pop sound, but with that voice, who could stay mad for long? He gives a mature reading of “For the Good Times” that wouldn’t have had the same gravitas coming from a younger artist.

Other Favorites: “‘Crazy Arms,” “Heartaches by the Number,” “I Won’t Mention it Again”

“Giddy On Up”
Laura Bell Bundy

Written by Laura Bell Bundy, Jeff Cohen, and Mike Shimshack

How I wish Laura Bell Bundy had broken through. Her Achin’ and Shakin’ album was relentless entertaining, and “Giddy On Up” epitomizes the fearlessness of the production and her remarkably charming delivery.  I love the bridge, where she becomes her own Pip, answering her own questions with some “Mmm Hmms” and “Nuh uhs.”

Other Favorites: “China and Wine,” “Another Piece of Me,” “Cigarette”

“Harper Valley P.T.A.”
Jeannie C. Riley

Written by Tom T. Hall

Sure, it’s Riley’s biggest hit, and it’s a classic. But the strength of the storyline and her lesser success at radio after it obscure the fact that it’s not just a great record because of Tom T. Hall’s way with words. Her sassy delivery packs a punch that nobody else who’s recorded it has matched – and almost every female artist of her day recorded it, too. Check out her later singles and pretty much all of her Plantation albums. There is a lot of great music to discover.

Other Favorites: “The Rib,” “The Backside of Dallas,” “Run Jeannie Run”

“Hayloft”
Nickel Creek

Written by Ryan Guildemond

This record is hilarious to listen to, and showcases how innovative Nickel Creek are and how well they complement each other. This has the off-beat weirdness associated with Chris Thile’s work outside of the group, but the singing and musicianship of the Watkins siblings add depth and dimension to the proceedings. They remain his finest fellow travelers.

Other Favorites: “Helena,” “You Don’t Know What’s Going On,” “Somebody More Like You”

“He Stopped Loving Her Today”
George Jones

Written by Bobby Braddock and Curly Putman

It’s often called the greatest country song of all time. He’s often called the greatest country singer of all time. One could quibble with either of those claims, but nobody could seriously argue that the record and the singer are in serious contention for the very best that country music has ever seen. My mind tells me my favorite George Jones song is “A Good Year for the Roses,” but my play count agrees with the historians.

Other Favorites: “A Good Year For the Roses,” “The Grand Tour,” “Golden Ring” (with Tammy Wynette)

Up Next: Day 9: “Hurt” to “I Fall to Pieces”

Laura Bell Bundy made a distinctly memorable impression when she blew into Nashville fresh off Broadway four years ago.  Of all the major label country albums released in 2009, few were more polarizing than Bundy’s genre-bending Mercury Nashville release Achin’ and Shakin’.  Maybe you thought it was brilliant.  Maybe you thought it was atrocious.  But there was one thing that it definitely wasn’t – boring.

“Two Step” is boring.

It’s dull, repetitive, tasteless, and utterly forgettable.

The problem isn’t that it’s a pop song masquerading as a country song.  The problem is that nothing about the lyrics, construction, melody, or production feels clever or interesting in any way.  The song leans far too heavily on mundane repetitions of its unremarkable title, and with “Two Step” already floundering, a Colt Ford hick-rap bridge is not going to be the thing to save it.

I know she can do better than this because she has before.  Let’s just hope that Bundy’s future releases on her new Big Machine label home will focus a little less on choreography and a little more on content.

Written by Laura Bell Bundy, Andy Davis, Lance Kotara, Adam McInnis, and Bryan Ray

Grade:  D+

For the second year in a row, our seven writers – Kevin Coyne, Leeann Ward, Dan Milliken, Tara Seetharam, Ben Foster, Jonathan Keefe, and Sam Gazdziak –  individually listed our twenty favorite albums and singles of the year. It’s a diverse crop of singles, some of which dominated country radio, while others were primarily heard in the Americana, bluegrass, and alternative country worlds. Today, we present the first half of our singles list, with the conclusion to follow tomorrow. Share your favorites in the comments!

#40
“Someone Somewhere Tonight”
Kellie Pickler

Individual rankings:  #16 – Ben; #19 – Tara

A sweeping power ballad anchored by an intimate chorus and Pickler’s pleading sincerity.  – Tara Seetharam

#39
“Strong”
Will Hoge

Individual rankings: #10 – Sam

Yeah, it’s the Chevy song, but whatever it takes to get Will Hoge introduced to a larger audience can’t be a bad thing. His lyrics about a true salt-of-the-earth individual ring true without ever steering into maudlin territory, and the line, “he ain’t jut tough, he’s strong,” is a great hook. It probably moved a fair number of pickup trucks, too. – Sam Gazdziak

#38
“Bourbon in Kentucky”
Dierks Bentley

Individual rankings: #9 – Leeann

Although Bentley vies for radio play, “Bourbon in Kentucky” still sounds unique enough to stand out from the generic bombast of the male players on current country radio. In service to the intense angst of the song, the wailing guitars and the mix of Bentley’s and Kacey Musgraves’ emotive vocals make this single a riveting sonic and emotional experience. – Leeann Ward

#37
“You and I”
Laura Bell Bundy

Individual rankings: #8 – Jonathan

Laura Bell Bundy goes more-Shania-than-Shania on a cover of Lady Gaga’s “You and I” that aches and shakes in equal measure. Bundy’s music is best when she embraces her campiest impulses, so it makes perfect sense for her to take a signature hit by the most theatrical star in pop and lasso it into the country genre. – Jonathan Keefe

#36
“You Can’t Make Old Friends”
Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton

Individual rankings: #7 – Kevin

After several attempts to recreate the youthful playfulness of the classic “Islands in the Stream”, Rogers and Parton embrace their age and confront their own mortality. It’s an obvious truth that no matter how great a new friend is, they can’t replace the shared memories of someone you’ve known for a long time. Even if you’ve since parted ways, you still share a part of the other’s identity. How fitting that these two old friends are ours as well, making the entire proceedings that much more poignant. – Kevin Coyne

#35
“I’ll Be There”
The SteelDrivers

Individual rankings:  #7 – Leeann

It’s almost unheard of for a group to lose a lead singer as dynamic as Chris Stapleton and still be as strong as ever with a replacement. Gary Nichols, however, managed to seamlessly slip into the SteelDriver’s front spot with the newly revamped band’s first single, “I’ll Be There.” The song is deliciously haunting both in content and melody. – Leeann Ward

#34
“Want Me Too”
Charlie Horsham

Individual rankings:  #7 – Dan

Imagine if your favorite Keith Urban song and your favorite Diamond Rio song were to meet in the middle ‘neath that old Georgia pi-i-iiine. You might end up with something like Worsham’s second single, a lovestruck tail-wagger with Urban drive and Rio harmonies. Show me a cuter line from this year than “My heart’s skippin’ like a stone on the water!” – Dan Milliken

#33
“Red”
Taylor Swift

Individual rankings:  #6 – Dan

“Red” is a curious mix of brilliant similes (“Fighting with him was like trying to solve a crossword and realizing there’s no right answer”), plain ol’ descriptions posing as similes (“Touching him was like realizing all you ever wanted was right there in front of you”), and logical pretzels twisted against their will into similes (“Forgetting him was like trying to know somebody you never met”—what!). But Swift’s passion and command of melody pull the disparate pieces together, resulting in one of the year’s most unique and compulsively listenable singles. – Dan Milliken

#32
“All Over the Road”
Easton Corbin
Individual rankings:  #6 – Ben

A delicious slice of steel-heavy nineties-esque escapist country bliss – complete with a breezy melody and an infectious, laid-back vocal performance. More please. – Ben Foster

#31
“Beat This Summer”
Brad Paisley

Individual rankings: #11 – Ben; #19 – Leeann

With a hooky sing-along melody, addictive guitar riff, and a unique genre-bending arrangement, Paisley proves that summer hits don’t have to suck.  – Ben Foster

#30
“Pocket Change”
Mando Seanz

Individual rankings:  #5 – Sam

Texas radio stations jumped on this single when it was released, with good reason. Saenz has been known for his quiet, introspective ballads in the past, but “Pocket Change” starts with a slow burn before exploding into a full-blown rocker. “Where’s my Studebaker, I’m nobody’s pocket change,” he snarls as he walks/runs away from a bad love. – Sam Gazdziak

#29
“Weed Instead of Roses”
Ashley Monroe

Individual rankings:  #16 – Tara, Jonathan; #20 – Sam

One woman’s plea to pump some action into her deflated marriage – via weed, leather and whips. It pops because it’s provocative, but it works because Monroe blends delightful charm with tongue-in-cheek boredom like the pro that she is.  – Tara Seetharam

#28
“See You Again”
Carrie Underwood

Individual rankings:  #1 – Kevin

“See You Again” combines three of my favorite things: death, positivity, and power vocals. The entire premise that a person can look past their grief because their faith tells them they’ll be reunited with their lost loved one is hardly new to country music, but it’s rarely presented with such confident bravado and so little melancholy. I can’t think of another singer who could pull that off as believably as Underwood, who by the end of these proceedings makes me hope that the choir of angels in heaven sound like her insanely catchy backup singers do here. – Kevin Coyne

#27
“Carry Me Back to Virginia”
Old Crow Medicine Show

Individual rankings: #9 – Sam; #12 – Jonathan

For anyone who wants to discover Old Crow Medicine Show beyond “Wagon Wheel,” this song is an excellent primer. Lightning-fast fiddle and vocals from Ketch Secor with a song about the Civil War, and crack band of musicians that favor enthusiasm over the precision that is often found in bluegrass. They’ve been often imitated but never duplicated. – Sam Gazdziak

#26
“Blowin’ Smoke”
Kacey Musgraves

Individual rankings: #7 – Ben; #15 – Sam

For three glorious minutes, the voice of the working class is heard once again on country radio. Musgraves suitably renders the song with a rundown sigh of a performance, while a gritty, rumbling arrangement places the listener right in the midst of the smoky haze. – Ben Foster

#25
“You Got Me”
Ashley Monroe

Individual rankings: #14 – Kevin; #15 – Ben; #16 – Leeann

On the surface, it’s obvious that this is about an entangled dysfunctional relationship, but listening deeper reveals that the relationship is with an addictive substance. Encased in a deep melancholy, the song cleverly and astutely captures the parallels with the two types of relational embattlements. The observations acknowledge that while the sources may be different, many of the general effects are the same. – Leeann Ward

#24
“Chill in the Air”
Amos Lee

Individual rankings:  #14 – Tara; #15 – Dan; #16 – Kevin

A smooth yet moody cocktail of country, folk, and soul that rides its long drawl into a sweet, simple chorus. Shoulda been a hit. – Dan Milliken

#23
“DONE.”
The Band Perry

Individual rankings: #6 – Jonathan; #15 – Tara

At a time when most contemporary country acts are aspiring to sound like arena rock, metal, and post-grunge bands that were terrible in the first place, The Band Perry at least had the good taste to blatantly rip off one of the best rock singles of the last decade for their hit “DONE.” – Jonathan Keefe

#22
“I Know What You Did Last Night”
Pam Tillis & Lorrie Morgan

Individual rankings: #10 – Kevin, Ben

They may be in their fifties, but make no mistake about it: Pam Tillis and Lorrie Morgan can still party down when they want to. Built around good-humored conversational interplay between two old friends, “I Know What You Did Last Night” is one of the freshest, most entertaining up-tempos sent to radio this year, and a reminder that Tillis and Morgan are still two of country music’s most vibrant talents.  – Ben Foster

#21
“I’d Rather Hear I Don’t Love You (Than Nothing at All)”
Rhonda Vincent

Individual rankings:  #9 – Ben; #10 – Leeann

Rhonda Vincent is always supreme whether she’s singing traditional bluegrass or, in this case, a good ol’ country weeper. Supported with the best kind of country acoustic instrumentation, Vincent’s voice satisfyingly leans into the heartbreak and desperation of a woman who is gripping a relationship that is obviously already dead. She knows it’s over, but her heart says that it’s not over until he literally says it’s over.  – Leeann Ward

Country Universe’s Best of 2013:

• Best Albums of 2013, Part One: #40-#21
• Best Albums of 2013, Part Two: #20-#1
• Best Singles of 2013, Part One: #40-#21
• Best Singles of 2013, Part Two: #20-#1

Texas is the most sung about state in country music. Musicians and singers can even make a good living by just touring around Texas. So, it’s no wonder that even those of us who have no  physical or emotional connection to Texas might still have numerous Texas related songs that we love. Just like the state of Texas, my list of Texas songs is very large, but I did my best to narrow my list down to five of my favorites.

1. Bill Chambers, “Dreaming ’bout Texas”
2. Charlie Robison, “the Girls from Texas”
3. Don Schlitz, “Death in Texas”
4. Laura Bell Bundy, “Texas”
5. Mac Davis, “Texas in My Rearview Mirror”

Now that our final lists of the 40 Best Singles of 2015 and 20 Best Albums of 2015 are posted and open for discussion, we have decided to post each of our seven writers’ individual ballots for the year-end countdowns, so we can give at least a bit of attention to even more great music from the past year.

When tabulating our lists, we assign points using a weighted ballot that prioritizes the music that each contributor feels most passionately about. The total points across all ballots are added together, and then a consensus multiplier factor recognizes the music that resonated most strongly with the Country Universe crew as a whole. Over the past several years, we’ve tinkered with our formulas a bit, and we’re pleased with how our methodology produces lists that allow for our individual writers’ unique voices and tastes to be reflected while also recognizing quality music with across-the-board appeal.

This year, that meant we saw mainstream superstars like Reba, Alan Jackson, and Eric Church ranked alongside lesser-known acts like Jamie Lin Wilson and Humming House on our albums list, while Tami Neilson, Jason Isbell, and Drake White rubbed elbows with Carrie Underwood and Maddie & Tae on our singles list.

A few quick stats for posterity’s sake: Isbell’s Something More Than Free, Chris Stapleton’s Traveler, and Church’s Mr. Misunderstood were the only albums to appear on all seven ballots; Ashley Monroe’s “The Blade” and Isbell’s “24 Frames” both appeared on all six ballots for the year’s best singles. Randy Rogers’ & Wade Bowen’s Hold My Beer, Volume 1 and Kasey Chambers’ Bittersweet both earned three votes each but still missed the final list, while Alan Jackson’s “Jim and Jack and Hank” was the only single to earn at least two votes and not make the top 40 list. Sometimes math is cruel.

What was great about 2015, particularly in comparison to the leaner offerings of the past few years, was that we could have easily posted longer lists of music worth seeking out. Just because something didn’t make the cut on our final lists, that didn’t mean that it was ignored entirely by the staff. Last year, most of the crew here felt like they were straining to fill out complete ballots with music they liked; this year, the challenge for many of us was in cutting music we really loved from our lists.

Too much good music: That’s a good problem to have.

So, alpha-ma-betically, each of our writers’ personal ballots are listed below.

Kevin John Coyne:

Albums

01. Jason Isbell, Something More Than Free
02. Reba McEntire, Love Somebody
03. Kacey Musgraves, Pageant Material
04. Eric Church, Mr. Misunderstood
05. Carrie Underwood, Storyteller
06. Alan Jackson, Angels & Alcohol
07. Maddie & Tae, Start Here
08. Laura Bell Bundy, Another Piece of Me
09. Watkins Family, Watkins Family Hour
10. Gretchen Peters, Blackbirds
11. K.T. Oslin, Simply
12. Willie Nelson & Merle Haggard, Django & Jimmie
13. Don Henley, Cass County
14. Rodney Crowell & Emmylou Harris, The Traveling Kind
15. Chris Stapleton, Traveller
16. Tim McGraw, Damn Country Music
17. Toby Keith, 35 MPH Town
18. Iris DeMent, The Trackless Woods
19. Punch Brothers, Phosphorescent Blues
20. Rhiannon Giddens, Tomorrow Is My Turn

Singles

01. Miranda Lambert, “Little Red Wagon”
02. Carrie Underwood, “Little Toy Guns”
03. Terri Clark, “I Cheated on You”
04. Jason Isbell, “24 Frames”
05. Eric Church, “Like a Wrecking Ball”
06. Ashley Monroe, “The Blade”
07. Eric Church, “Mr. Misunderstood”
08. Carrie Underwood, “Smoke Break”
09. Trisha Yearwood, “I Remember You”
10. Dwight Yoakam, “Second Hand Heart”
11. Toby Keith, “35 MPH Town”
12. Jason Isbell, “Something More Than Free”
13. George Strait, “Let It Go”
14. Miranda Lambert, “Bathroom Sink”
15. Kacey Musgraves, “Biscuits”
16. Toby Keith, “Beautiful Stranger”
17. Miranda Lambert with Little Big Town, “Smokin’ and Drinkin'”
18. Alan Jackson, “Jim and Jack and Hank”
19. Jason Isbell, “The Life You Chose”
20. Little Big Town, “Girl Crush”

Ben Foster:

Albums

01. Ashley Monroe, The Blade
02. Kacey Musgraves, Pageant Material
03. Jason Isbell, Something More Than Free
04. Maddie & Tae, Start Here
05. Chris Stapleton, Traveller
06. Eric Church, Mr. Misunderstood
07. Willie Nelson & Merle Haggard, Django and Jimmie
08. K.T. Oslin, Simply
09. Reba McEntire, Love Somebody
10. Alan Jackson, Angels & Alcohol

Singles

01. Kacey Musgraves, “Dime Store Cowgirl”
02. Ashley Monroe, “The Blade”
03. Drake White, “It Feels Good”
04. Jason Isbell, “24 Frames”
05. Trisha Yearwood, “I Remember You”
06. Jason Isbell, “The Life You Chose”
07. Maddie & Tae, “Shut Up and Fish”
08. Kacey Musgraves, “Biscuits”
09. Toby Keith, “Beautiful Stranger”
10. Kristian Bush, “Trailer Hitch”
11. Tami Neilson featuring Marlon Williams, “Lonely”
12. Carrie Underwood, “Smoke Break”
13. Toby Keith, “35 MPW Town”
14. Miranda Lambert, “Bathroom Sink”
15. Carrie Underwood, “Little Toy Guns”
16. Ashley Monroe, “On To Something Good”
17. Alan Jackson, “Jim and Jack and Hank”
18. Maddie & Tae, “Fly”
19. Little Big Town, “Girl Crush”
20. Eric Church, “Mr. Misunderstood”

Jonathan Keefe:

Singles

01. Kacey Musgraves, “Dime Store Cowgirl”
02. Ashley Monroe, “The Blade”
03. Drake White, “It Feels Good”
04. Tami Neilson featuring Marlon Williams, “Lonely”
05. Lee Ann Womack, “Send It On Down”
06. Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, “S.O.B.”
07. Jason Isbell, “24 Frames”
08. Kip Moore, “I’m to Blame”
09. Rhett Miller, “Most in the Summertime”
10. Turnpike Troubadours, “Down Here”
11. Jennifer Nettles, “Sugar”
12. Allison Moorer, “Tear Me Apart”
13. Robert Earl Keen, “Hot Corn, Cold Corn”
14. Miranda Lambert, “Little Red Wagon”
15. Josh Ritter, “Getting Ready to Get Down”
16. Cam, “Burning House”
17. Little Big Town, “Girl Crush”
18. Eric Church, “Like a Wrecking Ball”
19. Lindi Ortega, “Ashes”
20. Maddie & Tae, “Shut Up & Fish”

Larry Rogowin:

Albums

01. Punch Brothers, Phosphorescent Blues
02. Jason Isbell, Something More Than Free
03. Rhiannon Giddens, Tomorrow Is My Turn
04. Ashley Monroe, The Blade
05. Andrew Combs, All These Dreams
06. Darrell Scott, Ten: Songs of Ben Bullington
07. Brandi Carlile, The Firewatcher’s Daughter
08. Chris Stapleton, Traveller
09. Allison Moorer, Down to Believing
10. Humming House, Revelries
11. Jamie Lin Wilson, Holidays & Wedding Rings
12. Eric Church, Mr. Misunderstood
13. Ward Thomas, From Where We Stand
14. Watkins Family, Watkins Family Hour
15. Randy Rogers & Wade Bowen, Hold My Beer, Volume 1
16. The Mavericks, Mono
17. Don Henley, Cass County
18. Dwight Yoakam, Second Hand Heart
19. Rodney Crowell & Emmylou Harris, The Traveling Kind
20. Kacey Musgraves, Pageant Material

Singles

01. Jason Isbell, “24 Frames”
02. Lee Ann Womack, “Send It On Down”
03. Ashley Monroe, “The Blade”
04. Turnpike Troubadours, “Down Here”
05. Jason Isbell, “Something More Than Free”
06. Punch Brothers, “I Blew It Off”
07. Rhiannon Giddens, “Black Is The Color”
08. Andrew Combs, “Foolin'”
09. Chris Stapleton, “Traveller”
10. Cam, “Burning House”
11. Rodney Crowell & Emmylou Harris, ‘The Traveling Kind”
12. Jason Isbell, “The Life You Chose”
13. Humming House, “Great Divide”
14. Eric Church, “Mr. Misunderstood”
15. Allison Moorer, “Like It Used To Be”
16. Randy Rogers & Wade Bowen, “Standards”
17. Kacey Musgraves, “Dime Store Cowgirl”
18. Little Big Town, “Girl Crush”
19. Lee Ann Womack, “Chances Are”
20. Dwight Yoakam, “Second Hand Heart”

Tara Seetharam:

Albums

01. Ashley Monroe, The Blade
02. Chris Stapleton, Traveller
03. Jason Isbell, Something More Than Free
04. Maddie & Tae, Start Here
05. Eric Church, Mr. Misunderstood
06. Rhiannon Giddens, Tomorrow Is My Turn
07. Kacey Musgraves, Pageant Material
08. Allison Moorer, Down to Believing
09. Willie Nelson & Merle Haggard, Django & Jimmie
10. Will Hoge, Small Town Dreams

Singles

01. Ashley Monroe, “The Blade”
02. Little Big Town, “Girl Crush”
03. Lee Ann Womack, “Send It On Down”
04. Jason Isbell, “24 Frames”
05. Lee Ann Womack, “Chances Are”
06. Ashley Monroe, “On To Something Good”
07. Jason Isbell, “Something More Than Free”
08. Cam, “My Mistake”
09. Drake White, “It Feels Good”
10. Kacey Musgraves, “Dime Store Cowgirl”
11. Maddie & Tae, “Shut Up And Fish”
12. Miranda Lambert, “Little Red Wagon”
13. Turnpike Troubadours, “Down Here”
14. Chris Stapleton, “Traveller”
15. Tami Neilson featuring Marlon Williams, “Lonely”
16. Jason Isbell, “The Life You Chose”
17. Eric Church, “Like a Wrecking Ball”
18. Kip Moore, “I’m to Blame”
19. Chris Stapleton, “Nobody to Blame”
20. Carrie Underwood, “Little Toy Guns”

Leeann Morrow Ward:

Albums

01. Rhiannon Giddens, Tomorrow Is My Turn
02. Alan Jackson, Angels and Alcohol
03. Don Henley, Cass County
04. Watkins Family, Watkins Family Hour
05. Jamie Lin Wilson, Holidays and Wedding Rings
06. Maddie and Tae, Start Here
07.  Chris Stapleton, Traveller
08. Ashley Monroe, The Blade
09. Gretchen Peters, Blackbirds
10. Emmylou Harris/Rodney Crowell, The Traveling Kind
11. Randy Rogers/Wade Bowen, Hold My Beer, Volume 1
12. Kristian Bush, Southern Gravity
13. Pat Green, Home
14. Jason Isbell, Something More than Free
15. Toby Keith, 35 MPH Town
16. Shovels and Rope, Busted Jukebox, Volume 1
17. Daryle Singletary, There’s Still A Little Country Left
18. Kasey Chambers, Bittersweet
19. Eric Church, Mr. Misunderstood
20. Punch Brothers, The Phosphorescent Blues

Singles

01. Chris Stapleton, “Traveller”
02. Ashley Monroe, “The Blade”
03. Lee Ann Womack, “Send It On Down”
04. Cam, “Burning House”
05. Gretchen Peters, “When All You’ve Got is a Hammer”
06. Jason Isbell, ” 24 Frames”
07. Pat Green, “While I Was Away”
08. Trisha Yearwood, “I Remember You”
09. Robert Earl Keen, “Hot Corn, Cold corn”
10. Miranda Lambert, “Roots and Wings”
11. Drake White, “It Feels Good”
12. George Strait, “Let It Go”
13. Dierks Bentley, “Riser”
14. Kristian Bush, “Trailer Hitch”
15. Brandi Carlile, “Wherever Is Your Heart”
16. Maddie & Tae, “Shut Up and Fish”
17. Randy Rogers and Wade Bowen, “Standards”
18. Jon Pardi, “Head Over Boots”
19. Jennifer Nettles, “Sugar”
20. Carrie Underwood, “Smoke Break”

We just kind of can’t with this year’s ACM nominees.

2015 was a terrific year for country music, but you’d never know it from the often inexplicable and just as often indefensible slate of nominations that the Academy of Country Music put forth this week. Fortunately, there was plenty of other good news and better taste to go around, with interesting interviews with legends Tom T. Hall, Willie Nelson, and Lucinda Williams and upstarts Lindi Ortega, Cam, and Maren Morris, great live performances from Gretchen Peters, Carrie Underwood, Ashley Monroe, John Moreland, and Josh Ritter, and an unexpected bit of shade-throwing courtesy of Charles Kelley. This week’s news cycle isn’t even dominated by Chris Stapleton for once: Another Chris– Punch Brothers’ Chris Thile– is our MVP for the week.

There’s also an impressive crop of new releases and reissues out this week. Oddly, only one of those albums is by a woman, though, which is still one more album by a woman than the ACMs could bring themselves to nominate for Album of the Year…

New Releases & Reissues, 2/05/2016
Jason Collett, Song And Dance Man (Arts & Crafts)
Luther Dickinson, Blues & Ballads – A Folksinger’s Songbook: Volumes I & II  (New West)
The Infamous Stringdusters, Ladies & Gentlemen (Compass)
Charles Kelley, The Driver (Capitol Nashville)
Doug Kershaw, Anthology: Rare Masters 1958 – 1969 (Goldenlane / Cleopatra)
Jerry Lee Lewis, Country Class (1976), Country Memories (1977) (BGO)
The O’s, Honeycomb (Punch Five)
The Pines, Above the Prairie (Red House)
Charley Pride, Did You Think to Pray (1971), A Sunshiny Day With Charley Pride (1972), Sweet Country Songs of Love by Charley Pride (1973) (BGO)
David G. Smith, First Love (Hey Dave Music)
Elliott Smith, Heaven Adores You – Original Soundtrack (UMe)
Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mountain Boys featuring Ricky Skaggs & Keith Whitley, The Complete Jessup Recordings Plus! (Real Gone Music)
Lucinda Williams, The Ghosts of Highway 20 (Highway 20)

News and Notes

The nominees for the 51st Academy of Country Music awards were announced this week. Typically, we would do a stand-alone post for these, but they’re a such a wretched lot (Chase Rice, Old Dominion, and RaeLynn are among the nominees, and the all-male Album of the Year line-up is three-fifths appalling) that we are having a hard time getting excited about them. And, as friend of the blog Deb B (a.k.a., Windmills Country) outlines in comprehensive detail, the influence of bloc voting within a particular management group further puts a damper on the whole affair. Chris Stapleton and Eric Church lead the nominees, so at least that’s something. (JK)

Don Williams was forced to postpone his 2016 tour due to unexpected hip replacement surgery. Ticket buyers are encouraged to contact local venues and authorized ticketing platforms regarding refunds. Best wishes to our Gentle Giant for a quick, safe recovery. (BF)

“Songwriters aren’t good songwriters. People are good songwriters. So all of my career I fought against sitting down as a ‘Songwriter.’ I would sit with that sneaker on my head, until I found humility and became a person.”
— Tom T. Hall, speaking to the always incisive Peter Cooper, in a lengthy interview for American Songwriter. Among the many highlights of the interview is Hall’s response to the derisive remarks Bob Dylan made about him during the “MusiCares Person Of The Year” presentation in February 2015. (JK)

“I was in the middle of a tour, playing a bunch of Bach. And I was in a hotel room practicing the B-minor Partita over and over again, and in between giving my hands a rest, I just started [strumming and singing] ‘I blew it off …’ It kind of came in even as I was blowing off practicing the B-minor Partita.”
— MacArthur Foundation certified genius Chris Thile of The Punch Brothers tells The Current about the origins of “I Blew It Off,” which ranked on our list of 2015’s best singles. Thile’s creative process mirrors that of so many other contemporary country stars! Seriously, though: He’s just the best. (JK)

Speaking of Thile, he and Sarah Jarosz premiered the new song that they penned for his new gig as host of A Prairie Home Companion. (JK)

For even more on Thile, No Depression‘s Ted Lehmann wrote an editorial that’s sure to rankle some Bluegrass purists. In “Bela Fleck and Chris Thile: Following the Artist’s Muse,” Lehmann argues that it’s the fearlessness of acts like Fleck and Thile to incorporate a wide range of influences into traditional Bluegrass music– one of the most formally conservative of musical genres– that keep the genre vital. (JK)

People magazine posted a short preview of American Masters – Loretta Lynn: Still a Mountain Girl, PBS’ documentary about the legendary artist. The film, which premieres on March 4th, features a host of stars from Miranda Lambert to Jack White who speak about her influence. (JK)

“I was really thankful just to be out of Nashville for a second. I was driving around, and all of a sudden it just hit me — the title, ‘My Church,’ popped in my mind. I was maybe looking for some sort of salvation in that moment on that writing trip. It was an escape for me — and not really a religious one, just something to get out of my own head.”
— Maren Morris, recounting the origins of her breakthrough hit, “My Church,” in an interview with Billboard. The article provides an insightful peek behind-the-curtain with Morris and co-writer busbee, who discuss the song’s structure and production choices in smart detail. (JK)

Buddy Miller’s latest album, Cayamo Sessions at Sea, was released last week and features a terrific duet with Kacey Musgraves on a cover of Buck Owens’ “Love’s Gonna Live Here.” (JK)

You can listen to Vince Gill’s new album before its February release date, thanks to NPR’s First Listen. Be sure to read Jewly Hight’s great review of the album, as well! (LMW)

And if you need a good way to spend the next 6 hours, you can play around at Six Degrees Of Vince Gill, which is exactly what it sounds like. The highest number of degrees we have yet obtained is 4, thanks to K-Pop girl group SISTAR and Icelandic indie-pop act Sigur Ros. Vince is very well-connected. (JK)

“I think we all have these skeletons in the closet or whatever demons or things that haunt us. It’s part of the human condition. I guess some folks like to pretend that part doesn’t exist and want to sweep it under the rug or whatever. It always makes me feel less alone when I realize that other people go through this same experience and is part of being human. Sometimes I tweet things like that just to show no one’s alone.”
— Lindi Ortega talks about her reputation for getting a “little dark” with Steve Wosahla of For The Country Record. (JK)

Humming House, whose album Revelries ranked on our 2015 countdown of the year’s best albums, were profiled on The Today Show for their participation in a fantastic initiative called “Sing Me A Story” that turns the life stories of children battling diseases into uplifting songs. (JK)

“Those stories [about the TVA] have fueled thousands of works of art — from films like the Coen brothers’ O Brother, Where Art Thou? to songs like Mike Cooley’s ‘Uncle Frank.’ But the stories from the other side fed the culture, too, which is how, a few years after Cooley’s song, Jason Isbell penned his own ‘TVA’ during his time in the same band. ‘Thank God for the TVA,” Isbell sang. “Where Roosevelt let us all work for an honest day’s pay.'”
— Chuck Reece, writing for Bitter Southerner, profiled photographer Micah Cash’s upcoming “Dangerous Waters” series and book in a must-read and must-see piece that makes reference to how the TVA figures into contemporary art, including songs by Drive-By Truckers and Jason Isbell. (JK)

Country Universe favorite Gretchen Peters gave a lovely performance of one of her very best songs, which is to say one of the very best songs– “On a Bus to St. Cloud”– for the BBC2’s “Celtic Connections.” Peters also won “International Album of the Year” for Blackbirds and “International Song of the Year” for its title track at The UK Americana Music Association awards this week. (JK)

Singer-songwriter Josh Ritter got dressed up in his finest painter’s overalls for a performance of his awesome single “Getting Ready to Get Down” on Conan. (JK)

“I remember when [Lady Antebellum] started, I would get all these texts and calls, especially when “Need You Now” came out: “This song is blowing my mind.” There was something so gratifying about hearing that from your peers. And then the phone kind of went silent for a few years. I was like, “Man, I wanna make music again that gets the town talkin’, that really moves people.” …For me there’s this beautiful thing of being able to have this huge commercial success with Lady Antebellum, but then being able to have this purely creative, artistic outlet. Whether it becomes this huge success or not, at least I know in my heart that I’ve made a record that I was 100% proud of and that I was uncompromising on it.”
— Charles Kelley, not exactly not throwing Lady Antebellum under the bus in an interview with Jewly Hight for NPR. Whether his solo debut, The Driver, is any less middlebrow and dull than Lady A’s last three albums remains to be seen, but it’s interesting to see that he isn’t exactly defending the trio’s work while on his promotional rounds now that they’re on a hiatus. (JK)

Ashley Monroe visited the historic Sun Studios in Memphis, where she gave a performance of “From Time To Time” from The Blade. (JK)

“For me to be able to have a major label deal and be able to make a record I love, and that they let me make, it’s just amazing. On top of that, I get a Grammy nomination for pretty much just spilling out my heart. I can’t even put (my feelings) into words.”
— Monroe again, reflecting on the success of The Blade and her nomination for Best Country Album during Nashville’s annual Grammy nominee party. The Tennessean covered the event and spoke to Monroe, Little Big Town, and contemporary Christian singer TobyMac. (JK)

Josh Brolin will play George Jones and Jessica Chastain will play Tammy Wynette in the forthcoming biopic No Show Jones. The film’s screenplay comes from the Academy Award nominated team who recently wrote Straight Outta Compton. (LMW)

Rolling Stone premiered “Something Tamed, Something Wild,” the first single from Mary Chapin Carpenter’s upcoming album, The Things That We Are Made Of, which is scheduled for release on May 6th. The album is produced by superproducer du jour Dave Cobb, and the single has more in common with Carpenter’s 90s output than with the more somnolent coffeehouse fare she’s released over the last decade. Dare we say this is the first time we’ve been excited to hear her newest album in a good long while. (JK)

Rather than performing a track from his latest album (2015’s High on Tulsa Heat) for his network television debut, John Moreland gave a riveting, stripped-down performance of “Break My Heart Sweetly” from 2013’s In the Throes on Late Night with Stephen Colbert. (JK)

“I’m a huge Frank Sinatra fan. He’s my favorite singer. I’ve been listening to him for many, many years. And I loved the way he phrased — that he kind of sung it the way he wanted to. I liked that, and felt like it was easy for me to do.”
— Willie Nelson, who sat down with veteran journalist Dan Rather for an in-depth interview, cited Frank Sinatra as his favorite singer. Their conversation was recorded for Rather’s program The Big Interview, which airs weekly on AXS-TV. Rather also interviewed Tanya Tucker this week. (JK)

“I remember when I first read Flannery O’Connor, when I was 15 or 16, and it just drew me in because I identified with it. Some of the characters in her stories reminded me of some of my relatives on my mother’s side of the family. So I’ve been trying to write about that since I started writing, but I just kind of learned how recently. It’s not easy to use the imagery in songs without sounding kind of corny, or without stereotyping things. It’s really challenging.”
— Lucinda Williams reflected on the influence of author Flannery O’Connor on her songwriting and the particular challenges involved in writing songs that evoke a specific sense of place in a fascinating interview with Vulture. The interview is a must-read for fans of Williams’ one-of-a-kind songwriting, and it spans multiple eras of her storied career. Her new album, The Ghosts of Highway 20, has been earning rave reviews, including an insightful analysis by Sam C. Mac for Slant Magazine. (JK)

Laura Bell Bundy, another Country Universe favorite, was honored this week for her work with the American Heart and American Stroke Associations. Bundy served as a national Go Red For Women spokesperson during 2015. (JK)

“I think what I’m all about is interesting melodies. I love melody a lot. And I think I come from a lot of different musical influences because I grew up in a choir that sang in lots of different languages. So by the time I finished high school, I could sing 14 languages, like World Music.”
— Cam, in an interview with “Broadway’s Electric Barnyard,” responds directly to a negative review of her album, Untamed. In addition to her notes about melody, she also addresses her approach to lyrical content and to the album’s overall production aesthetic. It’s a brief interview, but Cam impresses for her thoughtful, on-the-spot answers about her creative process. (JK)

Pop-rap artist Nelly, who is recording a country album, released his cover of Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud” Thomas Rhett’s “Die a Happy Man” this week, and it is neither more nor less country-sounding than Rhett’s single, which topped the country radio charts for 6 weeks. (JK)

“I’m not ignorant, there are a lot of people out there waiting for country music to find a little more depth and meaning. Well, I agree with you. Country music deserves that. This first song may not be what you’re looking for yet, but that’s ok, because music was not meant to be heard in singles, but in albums. My album will be out later this summer, and I can promise you one thing….if you absolutely love this progressive version, I appreciate you, and I think you will love this upcoming ALBUM.”
— Chase Rice, who released a bizarre letter to his fans this week. The letter reads as an apology for his sleazy and damn near unlistenable new single, “Whisper,” which he swears, you guys, is not representative of his album that will be released later this year. Rice asserts that the ALBUM will reflect his depth as an artist, but it remains to be seen if that amounts to the same brand of “depth” offered by Florida Georgia Line’s “Dirt” and “Confession” or Luke Bryan’s “Drink A Beer” or Cole Swindell’s “You Should Be Here” or any of the other major bro-country acts’ middling attempts at more substantive material. That Rice is already apologizing for his new single on the day of its release, though, is a strange PR maneuver. (JK)

High quality video of Carrie Underwood’s Storyteller “In the Round” tour has started to turn up online. Here, Underwood sings “Dirty Laundry” before she absolutely tears it up on the harmonica in the opening of career higlight “Choctaw County Affair,” which really just has to be a single at some point. (JK)

And for another take…

Underwood’s set list includes covers of Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s “Fishing in the Dark” and Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You.” The latter –a lovely, bare-bones showcase of her voice– has me wishing she’d make good on her promise to do an acoustic tour. (TS)

That will do it for this week! Be sure to check out Kevin’s reviews of the latest singles from Tim McGraw and Reba, and, as always, let us know in the comments if we missed anything.