Lend an Ear to Hailey Whitters’ Corn Queen

Fueled by a strong Midwestern work ethic, Hailey Whitters played the long game to earn her well-deserved spot in country music. From the time she moved to Nashville from Iowa in 2007, Whitters immersed herself in the city’s songwriting community while chipping away at her dream of being a recording artist.

It took about a decade, but her own songs found their way to Alan Jackson, Little Big Town, and Martina McBride, and she earned a GRAMMY nomination for Song of the Year as a co-writer on Alicia Keys and Brandi Carlile’s “A Beautiful Noise.” But her true breakthrough arrived in 2022 and 2023, when her platinum single “Everything She Ain’t” charmed small-town fans and country radio programmers alike.

After “Everything She Ain’t” eased off the charts, Whitters forged ahead on the road and returned to the studio to create Corn Queen, her first new album in three years. In a call with Good Country, Whitters chatted about working with Molly Tuttle on “Prodigal Daughter,” the influence of the Chicks, and how a childhood diary set the foundation for her as a songwriter.

Corn Queen kicks off with a song called “High on the Hog.” which seems like it’s based on a true story. What was on your mind as you were writing that?

Good lord. I mean, it feels pretty literal to me. I was in the middle of just burnout, probably. I was thick in heavy, heavy touring, sometimes being in the airport three times a day. I was watching my [follow-up] single at country radio fail miserably. It was such a whirlwind, but I remember just taking a minute to be like, “What on earth is going on here?” and having a moment of clarity. I’ve been in Nashville for 17 years now, and I’ve been on the road for over a decade. I got my first bus last year. It was this funny juxtaposition where everyone was thinking that I’d made it. I’d had this big single, and my whole family thought I was so famous! But if you saw that I slept on an airport floor last night and got ready in a gas station bathroom, you would be shocked by what is behind this curtain. I wanted to show that with this song. Outsiders might think this business and this job are really romantic. And I think it’s a grand illusion!

There’s a silver lining in that song, I think. Do you consider yourself an optimistic person?

I always say I’m a negligent optimist. I’m optimistic to a fault! I’ve really had to put on some reality glasses the last few years because I will always choose “glass half full.” I’m always going to look for the brighter side of things. But yeah, I got some good kicks in the rear end the last few years, and that shook me up a little bit. So wait, what’s the silver lining, though? I’m curious, the “high on the hog” line?

Yeah, I took it as, “Hey, despite everything, I’m still out here doing this thing.”

And that’s true, too. In the bigger picture, when I’m not pulling graveyard shifts in driving the van and breaking down and having my audio engineer leave at the border in Canada and getting thrown to the wind before opening for Tyler Childers… I think it’s a silver lining. It’s also a little like sarcasm. Like, I know I’m not supposed to complain, but I’m high on the hog out here! But ultimately, there’s been some really great moments and some really cool things that I’ve dreamt about my whole life. So, at the end of the day, this gig ain’t that bad.

Molly Tuttle is on this record, too, on “Prodigal Daughter.” How did you cross paths with her?

I think one of the first times we ever met each other, I want to say we were both singing at a Tim McGraw tribute show. I may have made that up, but we were both on the bill, and it was Basement East. I remember meeting her backstage and hearing her, and she’s phenomenal! She’s absolutely incredible. And we got set up to write during the pandemic. It was me, her and Lori McKenna, and we wrote maybe two or three songs. And I really, really loved it.

I listened to her and I listened to Billy Strings a ton during the pandemic. I always thought it would be cool to do something with her someday. She’s just an insane talent. Then I wrote this song, “Prodigal Daughter,” and it felt like more of a bluegrass, rootsy kind of vibe. And I thought, “I would love for Molly to do some picking and sing on this one.” And yeah, she played clawhammer! We went over to my engineer’s studio and it was freaking insane. She just blows my mind.

At what point did you become a bluegrass fan?

I think I always liked bluegrass. Bluegrass fans might think this is crazy, but probably my gateway drug was when the Chicks made the Home album, which was more of a bluegrass record. Then that turned me on to Alison Krauss & Union Station, and the early stuff from Ricky Skaggs and Keith Whitley. I have so much respect for that music. They’re so talented and I’m in complete awe. I feel like they come out as babies with an instrument in their hand and just know it up and down. To be so dedicated and devoted to your instrument like that, it really blows my mind.

Home was a landmark record for me, too. Living in Nashville this long, I think about that song “Heartbreak Town,” and how that really shows the way the music industry is here.

So good! [Written by] Darrell Scott, another great musician. And that record was the first time I got turned on to Patty Griffin, too, because of “Top of the World” and “Truth #2.” I grew up in a cornfield in the Midwest. There was no musical influence around me. My family is super blue-collar. Everyone’s digging dirt, or farming, and women are raising babies. The only musical influence I had was what I was hearing on the radio. I was a big country radio kid, and I remember when the Chicks put out that record. That’s the first time I thought, “I need to scratch the surface and dig a little deeper into some of these influences.”

If there’s one song from Home that you think somebody has to hear, which one would you pick?

If you’re wanting to be a songwriter or an artist in country music, I would probably say “Travelin’ Soldier.” That song is so well-written. Anyone can hear that and feel something. Bruce Robinson wrote that song. There’s a certain magic to a songwriter who can sit down and write a song by himself. If you want to go deep, “Top of the World.” Even when I was a senior in high school, I was so blown away by that song. It really makes you reflect and think about your life. I remember seeing a Patty Griffin show at the Ryman a few years back, and I just sobbed in the pew to that song! It was a spiritual experience for me.

How did you pick up guitar? How did you learn how to play?

It’s funny, I got a diary one Christmas in 1994. I would have been five years old, barely knew how to write at that point, and I kept a diary. So I always wrote, for my whole life. In elementary school, my guidance counselor asked me what I wanted to do when I grow up. I was like, “I want to sing country music.” And he asked me, “Well, who are some of your favorite artists?” And I said, “The Chicks.” And he was like, “You know they write their own music, right?” And I said, “No! How do you do that?” And he told me, “You’ve got to get a guitar, you’ve got to learn some chords, and you’ve got to write some songs.” So that was when I started doing all that.

How did you make friends when you got to Nashville?

Actually I’m just leaving a breakfast with three of the first people I ever met in Nashville. We met back in 2007, and still to this day, they’re some of my closest friends. When I moved here, I went to Belmont University, and I met them there. We were all Miranda Lambert fans, and she was playing a show, so we all were talking about going to the show. We just always loved country music together. Especially when we first moved to town, we were so completely enamored by Nashville and the songwriting scene. Back when Nashville had showcases, we would go to three showcases a night. It was like, get out of class, get in my friend Lauren’s car, and go hit shows all night long.

On this record, I especially enjoyed “Hearsay.” It’s a love song, it’s funny, it’s got attitude, and a great hook, of course. Are there any moments or memories that stand out for you as that song was taking shape?

That song is about the Black Squirrel in my hometown, which is this little townie bar that’s been around forever. I remember going to see bands there, and they literally had chicken wire up to protect the bands. It’s that bar where you walk in with somebody that you’re not supposed to be with, and the whole town is going to be talking about it, and everyone’s going to know within an hour.

The song “DanceMor” is inspired by a place in your hometown, too, right?

DanceMor is the dance hall across the street from the Black Squirrel. It’s been around since the 1930s. My dad grew up going into it, my aunts and uncles, generations grew up throwing their boots on to go out line dancing and listening to country music. I always thought it was so cool. It closed for a minute when I was in high school, when it was undergoing different ownership, but I’d always wanted to go back and play it. It’s literally an eight-minute drive from my parents’ house. Everyone packs it out. We drank them out of beer last time. And everyone actually went across the street and started buying buckets and came back across the street and kept drinking. It’s such a sweet spot. I’m a big fan of old shit and protecting it and keeping it alive. There’s energy in those kinds of places that you can’t get in a new, polished venue. It’s kind of our little love song to the old dance floor ballroom.

I loved to hear the Wilder Blue singing on there. What did those guys add to the feel of that track?

I think they made the track. It needed those stacked harmonies, and they bring so much texture to all the different vocals and whatnot. They seemed to be a great fit for that. I met them on the Luke Combs tour last year, and they were so fun, and felt like brothers on the road. I listened to the record they did with Brent Cobb and I thought it was phenomenal. Then we got to tour together and play stadiums last year, and me and them, we’re at the bottom of the bill! We always went on early, then we went out in the parking lot and set up cornhole and made pickle margaritas and drank tequila and smoked cigs and played cornhole all night. I just hit it off with those guys.

There’s a message of encouragement in that song, too. You must have met a lot of little girls who look up to you. What do you like about having young fans?

It’s really cute. I mean, I used to be that girl. I remember getting on my dad’s shoulders in a cowboy hat and cowboy boots, reaching out and touching Ronnie Dunn’s hand when he’s on stage. I blame those early country concerts, because those were the moments where it felt larger than life, and you’re like, “I want to do that one day.” That’s really special to see girls like that holding up posters, or with the cowboy boots on, or wanting to get up and sing “Everything She Ain’t” with me. I egg it on. I think it’s great! And they can blame me when they’re twenty years into a ten-year town one day!


Photo Credit: Harper Smith

You Gotta Hear This: New Music from the HercuLeons, the SteelDrivers, and More

Are you ready for some excellent new music? This week, You Gotta Hear This includes a heaping handful of stellar new tracks and a new music video, too.

Husband-and-wife duo Oh Jeremiah share an intimate performance video for “Rust,” a song about aging, maturing, and the rapid clip of time that features French horn by Corin Dubie. In a similar sonic space, the Couldn’t Be Happiers’ “Brown Mountain Lights” is a co-written eerie original about the mysterious lights that linger around Brown Mountain in North Carolina. You’ll also find a new track from singer-songwriter Olive Klug. “Train of Thought” is folky, bluegrassy, old-timey, and more, and is Klug’s favorite song from their upcoming album, Lost Dog. (You’ll quickly find out why, when you listen.)

Mandolinist Ashby Frank has a new single, “The Bug,” a traditional-meets-jammy rendition of a Mark Knopfler song that, like Frank, you may recognize from Mary Chapin Carpenter’s discography. It’s hilarious, rollicking, and so much fun. Frank’s longtime friend and brand new labelmate Vickie Vaughn unveils her debut single with Mountain Home Music, “Leavin’,” her rendition of a Bruce Robison song with a stacked roster of musicians and singers.

We have a couple legendary bluegrass lineups represented herein, as well! The SteelDrivers, purveyors of “uneasy listening” and bluesy bluegrass for decades now, announce their brand new album, Outrun – their first with Sun Records – by sharing the title track for the upcoming project, a Tammy Rogers and Leslie Satcher co-write. And the cherry on top of it all is the HercuLeons (that is, the duo of veteran multi-hyphenate roots musicians John Cowan and Andrea Zonn) giving us a sneak peak at their new album, John Cowan & Andrea Zonn Are The HercuLeons, with a rare full album stream on their momentous release day.

It’s all below, so get scrolling and enjoy listening. You Gotta Hear This!

Couldn’t Be Happiers, “Brown Mountain Lights”

Artist: Couldn’t Be Happiers
Hometown: Currently Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Song: “Brown Mountain Lights”
Album: Couple(t)s
Release Date: March 20, 2025 (single); June 13, 2025 (album)

In Their Words: “So many different explanations exist for the faint flickering lights that sometimes appear floating around the atmosphere of Brown Mountain in North Carolina. One theory is that the lights are lanterns from the ghosts of miners who died in their quest for gold and jewels in those hills. Maybe so, but we think the heart of every good ghost story, usually, is a love story.” – Couldn’t Be Happiers

Track Credits:
Jordan Crosby Lee – Vocals, acoustic guitars
Jodi Hildebran – Vocals
Doug Davis – Mandolin, high-strung acoustic guitar, melodica, Omnichord, Hammond organ, bass, percussion


Ashby Frank, “The Bug” 

Artist: Ashby Frank
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “The Bug”
Release Date: March 21, 2025
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “I grew up listening to the great country music of the ’90s and first heard this song when it was recorded by one of my favorite singer-songwriters, the great Mary Chapin Carpenter. I wasn’t aware that it was a cover until several years later when I heard the original recording by Dire Straits and discovered that it was written by Mark Knopfler. That band had such a deep groove on that original cut that I really got into and I immediately started thinking about how a bluegrass arrangement might work. I brought the song up in the studio when we started recording my new album and we bounced it around until we came up with a groovy traditional-meets-jam band version that I’m super proud of. Seth Taylor (guitar) and Matt Menefee (banjo) added some wicked solos and my friend and labelmate Jaelee Roberts added some killer harmonies. I even threw in a couple of yodels, which is a career first for me. I can’t wait for everyone to hear it!” – Ashby Frank

Track Credits:
Ashby Frank – Mandolin, vocals
Seth Taylor – Acoustic guitar
Travis Anderson – Bass
Matt Menefee – Banjo
Tony Creasman – Drums
Jaelee Roberts – Harmony vocals


The HercuLeons, John Cowan & Andrea Zonn Are The HercuLeons

Artist: The HercuLeons
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Album: John Cowan & Andrea Zonn Are The HercuLeons
Release Date: March 21, 2025
Label: True Lonesome

In Their Words: “For me, the making of this record was not about career, revenue streams, or anything else. I had been singing with, around, and listening to Andrea Zonn for 20 years. Like most of us, we were stranded during the pandemic. This record was truly born out of our combined desire to once and for all record our voices singing together.” – John Cowan

“Like John, I was only too happy to make an entire record with one of my favorite singers, musicians, and humans. With the help of our dear friend [producer] Wendy Waldman, we began exploring ideas, crafting a sound, and pursuing a collection of songs that spoke to our creative and spiritual centers. We’re so thrilled to be sending out into the world, at long last.” – Andrea Zonn


Olive Klug, “Train of Thought”

Artist: Olive Klug
Hometown: Portland, Oregon
Song: “Train of Thought”
Album: Lost Dog
Release Date: April 25, 2025
Label: Signature Sounds

In Their Words: “This is actually my favorite song on the album. Written in Sisters, Oregon, during a songwriting workshop that I led about writing a song inspired by the style of your favorite artist, ‘Train of Thought’ is my take on Paul Simon’s wordy magical chaos. Breaking out of my usual literal storytelling lyrical style and breaking into the world of abstract metaphors, I let the listener into what it’s like to be neurodivergent and how I’ve recently embraced this internal chaos instead of trying so hard to control and repress it.

“With lyrics like ‘and they try to button up my suit and tie in an attempt to hold me back but I’m this strange old conductor wearing pearls and a backwards baseball cap,’ I highlight how my nontraditional gender presentation is intrinsically linked to this neurodivergence and desire to resist societal pressures.” – Olive Klug


Oh Jeremiah, “Rust”

Artist: Oh Jeremiah
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Rust”
Album: Jones County Ghosts
Release Date: March 21, 2025 (single); June 13, 2025 (album)
Label: Baldwin County Public Records

In Their Words: “I don’t know how it happens, one day you’re a kid getting your first kiss in sixth grade on the peewee football field and the next you’re in your mid-thirties. When Erin and I sat down to write ‘Rust,’ we wanted to capture the feeling of time running in a full sprint. Your only hope, it feels like, is to hang on to those things that keep you feeling young at heart. ” – Jeremiah Stricklin

“Most people think, because we’re married, that we write all the songs together, but this is actually the first co-write we’ve ever done.” – Erin Stricklin

Video Credits: Shot by Tim Sutherland. French Horn by Corin Dubie. 

The SteelDrivers, “Outrun”

Artist: The SteelDrivers
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Outrun”
Album: Outrun
Release Date: March 21, 2025 (single); May 23, 2025 (album)
Label: Sun Records

In Their Words: “Leslie Satcher is a longtime SteelDriver co-writer with me. I happened to run into her the weekend before we were scheduled to go into the studio and told her we didn’t have any Leslie songs on the upcoming record. She made the time to get together and ‘Outrun’ was written in about an hour and a half! It was the last song we recorded. It is another song that really showcases that ‘SteelDriver Sound.'” – Tammy Rogers


Vickie Vaughn, “Leavin'”

Artist: Vickie Vaughn
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Leavin'”
Release Date: March 21, 2025
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “‘Leavin” is a song that Kimber Ludiker showed me when she was playing fiddle with its writer, Bruce Robison. I immediately fell in love with the stream of consciousness style of writing and the emotion present in the song. I’m a pretty emotional gal myself, so singing this and getting to record it felt cathartic. It is definitely a heartstring tugger.” – Vickie Vaughn

Track Credits:
Vickie Vaughn – Upright Bass, lead vocal
Colby Kilby – Guitar
Casey Campbell – Mandolin
Wes Corbett – Banjo
Dave Racine – Drums
Deanie Richardson – Fiddle
Lillie Mae Rische – Harmony vocal
Frank Rische – Harmony vocal


Photo Credit: The HercuLeons courtesy of the artist; the SteelDrivers by Glenn Rose.

2023 Americana Honors & Awards Nominations Announced

The Americana Music Association announced the nominees for its 22nd annual Americana Honors & Awards today at the National Museum of African American Music (NMAAM) in Nashville. This year’s nominations were revealed by host Gina Miller, Senior Vice President and General Manager of MNRK Music Group and member of the Americana Music Association’s Board of Directors. The event was streamed live to the Americana Music Association’s Facebook page and also featured performances from S.G. Goodman, The McCrary Sisters, and Margo Price.

A full list of categories and nominees for the Americana Music Association’s 22nd annual Americana Honors & Awards is below:

ALBUM OF THE YEAR:

Big Time, Angel Olsen; Produced by Angel Olsen and Jonathan Wilson

Can I Take My Hounds To Heaven?, Tyler Childers; Produced by Tyler Childers

El Bueno y el Malo, Hermanos Gutiérrez; Produced by Dan Auerbach

The Man from Waco, Charley Crockett; Produced by Bruce Robison

Strays, Margo Price; Produced by Margo Price and Jonathan Wilson


ARTIST OF THE YEAR:

Charley Crockett

Sierra Ferrell

Margo Price

Allison Russell

Billy Strings


DUO/GROUP OF THE YEAR:

49 Winchester

Caamp

Nickel Creek

Plains

The War and Treaty


EMERGING ACT OF THE YEAR:

Adeem the Artist

S.G. Goodman

William Prince

Thee Sacred Souls

Sunny War


INSTRUMENTALIST OF THE YEAR:

Isa Burke

Allison de Groot

Jeff Picker

SistaStrings – Chauntee and Monique Ross

Kyle Tuttle


SONG OF THE YEAR:

“Change of Heart,” Margo Price; Written by Jeremy Ivey, Margo Price

“I’m Just a Clown,” Charley Crockett; Written by Charley Crockett

“Just Like That,” Bonnie Raitt; Written by Bonnie Raitt

“Something in the Orange,” Zach Bryan; Written by Zach Bryan

“You’re Not Alone,” Allison Russell featuring Brandi Carlile; Written by Allison Russell


Photo of Tyler Childers: David McClister
Photo of Sierra Ferrell: Alysse Gafkjen
Photo of Allison Russell: Marc Baptiste
Photo of Charley Crockett: Bobby Cochran

WATCH: Paula Nelson & Willie Nelson, “Pretend I Never Happened”

Artist: Paula Nelson with Willie Nelson
Hometown: Austin, Texas
Song: “Pretend I Never Happened”
Release Date: March 17, 2023
Label: The Next Waltz

In Their Words:Phases and Stages is one of my all-time favorite albums that my dad recorded. There’s not a song on it that I couldn’t listen to over and over and never get tired of hearing. However, ‘Pretend I Never Happened’ has always been my favorite. Everything about the song including the melody, the lyrics and the way the song was originally put together make me feel when I listen is not only timeless but downright perfection. With all that said, I hope that I was able to make my dad proud of this cover of his song. I know that I am so very proud of how it turned out. And to have him playing and singing on this recording made this song even more special to me. There’s no one else other than my dad and his band that I would have trusted to re-record it other than Bruce Robison and the amazing band he put together for this project.” — Paula Nelson


Photo Credit: Spencer Peeples

WATCH: Summer Dean, “The Biggest Life Worth Living Is the Small”

Artist: Summer Dean
Hometown: Fort Worth, Texas
Song: “The Biggest Life Worth Living Is The Small”
Album: The Biggest Life (produced by Bruce Robison)
Release Date: June 16, 2023
Label: The Next Waltz

In Their Words: “This little song was inspired by the advice that Gus tells Lori in McMurtry’s masterpiece, Lonesome Dove. I mean, we’d all be just a little bit happier sometimes if we’d just stop to smell the biscuits. I really liked this song when I wrote it. Then Bruce and the gang got ahold of it in the studio and now it’s one of my favorites. I’m very proud of myself and this record. It’s the most real and vulnerable I’ve ever been with my writing.” — Summer Dean

Editor’s Note: For more about Summer Dean, check out a new episode of Western AF presents Lone Star Stories


Photo Credit: Scott Slusher

LISTEN: Nathaniel Rateliff, “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain” (Live)

Artist: Nathaniel Rateliff
Hometown: Denver, Colorado
Song: “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain” (Live)
Album: One Night in Texas: The Next Waltz’s Tribute to The Red Headed Stranger (produced by Bruce Robison)
Release Date: April 28, 2023
Label: The Next Waltz

Editor’s Note: One Night in Texas was recorded live at Luck, Texas, on May 1, 2022, in honor of Willie Nelson’s 89th birthday. Featured artists on the album include Sheryl Crow, Steve Earle, Vincent Neil Emerson, Emily Gimble, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Robert Earl Keen, Phosphorescent, Margo Price, Bruce Robison, Nathaniel Rateliff, and Shinyribs.

In Their Words: “To put together a night of Willie Nelson music is a bit of a dream for me. His songs and the vibe of The Family band was so formative that it is hard to measure. The music has always been a part of my life — a North Star. When we got together a bunch of friends for the band, playing this music, after these couple years — honestly, it felt like it was about more than just Willie. Then, the crazy group of guests signed on for the show, and then Bobbie passed, and then Willie decided he would come play a set after us. The night just felt like some kind of celebration of life. When it was coming together I knew I had to try to record it. When I heard what was on tape it sounded like magic to me. It sounded like 1973. It is definitely the sound of people having fun. This was a great night in Texas. The band was a runaway train and the singers were insane. Thanks to everybody who lent their talents to this.” — Bruce Robison

“I really enjoyed singing ‘Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain.’ Bruce Robinson put a hell of a band together to perform with. It’s always an honor and a privilege to celebrate Willie Nelson and to be a part of the musical family he’s created.” — Nathaniel Rateliff

The Next Waltz · Nathaniel Rateliff – Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain

Photo Credit: Casey Lee

WATCH: Charley Crockett, “I Can Help”

Artist: Charley Crockett
Hometown: San Benito, Texas
Song: “I Can Help”
Album: The Next Waltz, Vol. 3
Label: The Next Waltz

In Their Words: “We showed up at the studio without any idea what we were gonna cut. Once we got in there I remembered this old Billy Swan number and I’d always wanted to record it. I think we got it in one or two takes. Like everything else at Bruce [Robison]’s place, magic stuck to the tape.” — Charley Crockett


Photo credit: Taylor Grace

WATCH: Bruce Robison & Kelly Willis, “Tennessee Blues”

Artist: Bruce Robison & Kelly Willis
Hometown: Austin, Texas
Song: “Tennessee Blues”
Release Date: August 27, 2020
Label: The Next Waltz

In Their Words: “Nikki Lane mentioned ‘Tennessee Blues’ to me probably four years ago and that was the first time I heard of Bobby Charles. I realized I had heard the song by Doug Sahm over the years. It is one of those tunes that after first listen you know it would be incredible for harmonies, and it is. I think the greatest songs are effortless to play and even easier to sing. ‘Tennessee Blues’ is that. Bobby Charles is an artist that should be much better known, but occasionally discovering those artists and songs is about my second favorite thing in life.” — Bruce Robison


Photo credit: Todd V. Wolfson

With Debut Album, The Panhandlers Take Pride in West Texas

The Panhandlers are carrying on a West Texas songwriting tradition that’s both witty and wistful, and their self-titled debut album will almost certainly appeal to anyone who’s fond of the Lubbock life. With 10 original songs about their home turf, the four artists — Josh Abbott, Josh Baumann, Cleto Cordero, and William Clark Green — teamed up with producer Bruce Robison, who somehow makes the task of balancing four lead singers look like a breeze.

By email, all four of the Panhandlers fielded questions from BGS about working together, writing about each other, and not quite being able to leave West Texas behind.

BGS: I’m sure you guys all knew each other before this project, but when did you all first get into a room together?

John Baumann: Other than music festivals or late-night gatherings after shows on buses, the first time we sat down and talked about this project as a group was at The Next Waltz office in Austin, Texas. I think Josh was still mispronouncing my last name at the time. Needless to say, the group was all on good terms and friendly, but I think this project really bonded us as musicians, songwriters, business partners and made us become friends.

William Clark Green: I have written with Josh and John previously, but it was my first time writing with Cleto. It was a lot of fun getting to see his thought process. Obviously I have a lot of respect for everyone. I knew we wouldn’t be writing any trash songs.

There are several references on this album about leaving West Texas behind. Is that common for people to insist they’re going to move on, but never actually do? And what compels them to stay, do you think?

Josh Abbott: Well it’s twofold: 1) Yes, I think it’s common for people to desire a change and never seek it, and 2) There are a lot of folks who have to move away and reflect on their time there with nostalgia and a fondness. This isn’t exclusively unique to being from that region of Texas by any means, but it’s the lens from how we approached this album.

Cleto Cordero: There’s not much to see or do in West Texas that isn’t related to oil and gas or farming and after a while the sometimes bleak landscape can lend one to ponder what [it would be like] to live in a big city or any other place with topography that isn’t flat or covered in mesquite bush! Oh, and water… jumping into a body of West Texas water only occurs in one’s dream. Most folks entertain the idea of leaving for greener pastures (which is why I believe creatives flourish there, always exercising their dreaming muscles), but end up sticking around because although life there is simple, it is a great place to raise a family. The land is home to many good-hearted, hard-working people — traits that come through persistence and faithfulness.

JB: Ironically, all four of us have left the region at some time or another, but it always calls us back. Mostly for opportunities to perform, but sometimes just to see people you have gotten to know. I have become such close friends with some people in the region that sometimes it feels like I have a second life there when I go back, and I just pick right back up where I left off. I think it’s common for people to want to leave the area, and explore bigger and more developed cities, but there is something about it that always calls you back. I think people also feel compelled to stay. They love the sunsets, and dry air, and the four seasons — one of those only regions in Texas that actually gets four seasons. And seriously Lubbock is one of the friendliest cities in the U.S. Not just because the billboards say it, but because it really feels true.

WCG: I think the Mac Davis song says it best: “Happiness was Lubbock, Texas in my rearview mirror.” The song eventually turns around and tells the story of how much you miss the country and the people

“This Is My Life” captures the life of a touring musician in Texas — brisket for lunch, pizza at night. And you’re sharing it with friends — “a rowdy group of dreamers, drinkers, and has-beens.” Josh, how hard (or easy) was it to kind of distill these guys’ personalities to just a few lines?

JA: Honestly, it flowed pretty naturally. I wrote it in less than an hour at my house the night before our last studio day. Bruce encouraged me to write a feature song where I could have a voice on the album since the other three guys all have features. I originally just wanted to blend in the background on this album, but Bruce said I needed a feature too. So I went home and just wrote a song about the group and the life we live. The only line I debated was “William’s loud but he’s a good hang” mostly because I didn’t want it to seem like a shot at him. But that’s his personality and that’s why everyone loves him. So I kept it in there.

CC: I love how fun and simple that song is. I think Josh captured each of us pretty well.

I like the dry humor on this record, like on “No Handle.” It’s funny without being corny, which is tricky. As songwriters, how do you strike that balance of being lighthearted without going into novelty song territory?

JA: I’m not sure I’ve figured out that balance! But John Baumann sure has!

JB: I just tried to be as plainspoken about it as possible. I just found humor in the fact that there is a guy who is openly unhappy about where he is. I think it is a delicate balance, but I think it’s important for voices in songs, or narrators, to have personality — be it sad, or ironic, or subtly jabbing. It just gives the lyric and the story more truth.

WCG: I think you just have to believe in what you are saying and the rest comes with it.

CC: I heard Carlos Santana say during a video something along the lines of “You should play, write, sing, and perform being led by your Spirit. If you want to be funny or make a joke of everything, you should be a comedian.” I think John (who wrote that song) is a clever man, but he knows the difference between clever and being a jester. I believe he is the former.

“Caprockin’” shows a bittersweet portrait of life in and around Lubbock. What sets that city apart from other places you’ve been in Texas? What do you wish people understood better about it?

JA: I think my biggest frustration with people about Lubbock is [when they say] that it’s in the middle of nowhere and there’s nothing to do. And I just don’t agree with that, especially in the era we live in now. You can fly to Lubbock from the major cities in Texas in less than two hours. And there hasn’t been a city that has transformed as much in a per capita manner than Lubbock has. Businesses are developing constantly, the city is expanding south at a rapid pace, and Texas Tech has grown into an enormous institution. All Lubbock lacks is professional sports teams, high property taxes, and congested traffic. Lubbock is great! I’m glad John wrote this song with a sense of endearment. This song channels Jimmie Dale Gilmore so much to me.

JB: The friendliness of it. People will take the shirt off their back for you at every corner. They treat strangers like friends. They support you when nobody else will. They rarely have a bad word to say about anyone. I wish people understood that it’s more than just a flat desert panhandle town. It has a real community, and it’s a wonderful place to raise a family.

CC: Many towns in West Texas just don’t have the infrastructure that allow artists to flourish. Lubbock seems to be a mecca for artists and musicians of West Texas because it has just about everything you’d need to get a musical dream to take flight: a continuous stream of young, potential listeners (via Texas Tech University), a legendary watering hole and stage to play your original songs (via the Bluelight Live), and various local radio stations that promote and play local artists (via Red Dirt Rebel). I don’t think folks outside of West Texas understand how we find it so beautiful a place, despite it being dry, dusty Flatland.

WCG: I wish people understood how laid-back and nice the people are in West Texas. In all my travels they are my favorite.


Photo credit: Charlie Stout

LISTEN: Wood & Wire, “Left My Girl Behind”

Artist: Wood & Wire
Hometown: Austin, Texas
Single: “Left My Girl Behind”
Release Date: November 15, 2019
Label: The Next Waltz

In Their Words: “This is a traditional tune that we learned from Levon Helm — one of our favorite artists of all time. It’s also called ‘The Girl I Left Behind.’ Outside of bluegrass, we all have different (maybe even more prominent) musical influences. It’s those collective outside influences that really drive our sound. The result is us writing and playing tunes with grooves and feels that people wouldn’t expect from an ensemble like ours. The way Levon did this tune, with a funky backbeat groove, really speaks to us and it’s just a blast to play.

“It’s always our preference to record as organically as possible, working on vibes and performance. We don’t use a click track and we like to move with each other musically. Out at the bunker with Bruce [Robison], the team, and no computers, that’s the only way it goes down. We’ve been performing this one for a while so it was pretty simple — get in there and play the song like we’ve always played it.”


Photo credit: Spencer Peeples