In March, the BGS and Good Country teams were honored to return once again to SXSW, this time partnering with our friends at Big Feat PR for A Night of Good Country at Sagebrush in Austin, Texas. The evening featured lovely sets and video sessions by artists on Big Feat’s stellar roster of clients – and quite a few Good Country favorites – including Shakey Graves, Ghost Hounds, Tyler Halverson, Aubrie Sellers, Travis Bolt, and Tenille Townes.

Our pals at I Know We Should were on hand at Sagebrush to capture these Good Country performances, and we’ve been sharing clips and full sets right here on the site. To continue the series, it’s time to enjoy performances from Americana country rockers, Ghost Hounds.

As it happens, the Pennsylvania-based band have announced their new, upcoming album, Justified, to be released August 21 by Maple House Records. With today’s announcement they’ve dropped a brand new single, “Sinner’s Prayer.” You can stream the track wherever you enjoy music today, but we’re especially excited to unveil that back in March, a special and intimate Ghost Hounds trio – consisting of lead singer SAVNT, Kristin Weber on fiddle, and Joe Munroe on keys – performed a stripped-down, Good Country exclusive rendition of “Sinner’s Prayer” that you can watch here. What a perfect way to celebrate the album announcement and single drop! The trio also performed “Here No More,” a popular track from their 2023 album, First Last Time. You can watch both of these SXSW performances right here, on Good Country.

Being that the release of these Sagebrush SXSW Sessions by Ghost Hounds coincide with Black Music Month, observed each year in the U.S. in June, we spoke to SAVNT via email about the sessions, the songs the group chose to perform, and more. Read on below as you enjoy these lovely two performances by Ghost Hounds.

“What makes ‘Here No More’ and ‘Sinner’s Prayer’ special is the fact that they were written at two different times, but both address coming to terms with mortality from different perspectives,” SAVNT says. “In my opinion, we have all experienced loss in our own way and have carried a deep desire for understanding and redemption. If ‘Here No More’ hits the first stages of grief, then ‘Sinner’s Prayer’ is the desire for grace.

“‘Here No More’ is a song about the loss of a friend and the shock that consumes you when you realize you will never be given the chance to say ‘goodbye.’ And wrestling with the fact that the plans you made with this person will never come to pass. In a sense, it’s about remembering how fragile life is and that none of us are truly sure what tomorrow will bring. ‘Sinner’s Prayer,’ at its core, is a letter to God. After living your life as a rebel, you come face-to-face with the impact of your actions, and at this moment regret settles in and the questions ringing in your head are, ‘Have I gone too far to be forgiven? Am I too late?

“Here’s my lonely prayer
From a man who’s in despair
I don’t deserve your mercy
But I’m asking anyway
I’ve burned through all my chance
And I’ve thrown it all away
So if you’ve got some grace that you can spare
Please hear this sinner’s prayer

“These words reflect the multitude of emotions and lived experiences that inspire you to atone for your past and ask if there is any grace left to spare.”

“I love music because it gives words to the human experience, and there are so many stories to tell. Soul music has a special way of capturing those tales of heartache, love, loss, redemption, joy, and dreams for the future in a way that will stand the test of time. Some of my favorite artists – like Sam Cooke, Bill Withers, and Aretha Franklin – have mastered this. My obsession with roots music (i.e. Americana, country, blues, and soul) was born from my love of storytelling and the vulnerability it takes to speak your truth out loud.

“One artist that comes to mind is Tracy Chapman. Her music speaks directly to your soul and illuminates the complexity of our emotions in a clear way; you feel seen through a lens of compassion. I remember as a kid singing ‘Fast Car’ at the top of my lungs, and now that I am no longer a child, her words carry so much truth and hit in a different way. Nothing about her music is overly produced, and everything is deeply intentional and understood. Watching her take the stage at the GRAMMYs in 2024 was a healing experience, because she is someone who personifies depth and her talent deserves to be celebrated and shared well into the future.

“Charley Pride’s music shows just how far our voices can reach when we stay true and don’t wait for permission. He stood firmly in every endeavor he pursued – from baseball to country music – in a time where everyone was committed to telling him who he was ‘allowed’ to be. His stories spoke to the trials and the joys experienced by everyday people and his words were so powerful that they crossed continents and racial divides. He persevered through discrimination and bigotry with grace. No matter how talented he was, people repeatedly told him to ‘stick to gospel or R&B’ and that he ‘had no place in country music.’

“That is something that many BIPOC artists, including me, have had to deal with. We are able to live out our dreams because he stood strong in his. We all benefit from the legacies of people like Charley and their contributions should be celebrated during Black Music Month – and beyond.” – SAVNT

Video Credits: I Know We Should, Brad Wagner, Juan Soria, and Charlie Peterson.

These sessions brought to you in partnership with Big Feat PR. Explore more of our Sagebrush SXSW Sessions here.