Today on Only Vans, we’re in the mountains of New Mexico with one of my most talented friends, Adam Hood! We get to talk about balancing being a songwriter and a road dog, building a home, and the motivation of writing a song as well as publishing deals, re-recording an album, and being an introverted artist.
We also talk with Charlie and Nicole, the organizers of the 8750′ Festival in Red River, New Mexico.
What an honor it is to have my friend from Alabama, Mr. Adam Hood, on the podcast today coming to you from the really incredible 8750′ Festival we both played in Red River, New Mexico back in August. Peeking at his tour schedule, Adam is going to IL, WI, TX, MS, AL, TN, MD, and more, so be sure to check his tour schedule, because he is a must-see live act!
During the episode we talk a lot about publishing deals, because Adam and I both had them – and if you don’t know, a publishing deal is when you’re considered a full-time writer for a company. That is a uniquely hard place to be in, being a road dog and an employed staff writer was very busy and stressful – and also a freaking amazing – time in my life. I’m glad we dove in on that and, even though we talk about how hard it was, I know we both loved it and were lucky to be in that position.
We also talk about resistance from the book, War of Art (gifted to me by Wade Bowen actually), that is a must read for artists. Adam re-recorded one of his records to own the masters and it sounds great. Shoutout, again, to Gordy Quist and The Finishing School studio in Austin, Texas. And, to clarify, I did not do my own drywall in my house. That’s a lie, I don’t know why I said that.
Thank you to one of our favorite places, The Motherlode Saloon in Red River, NM for letting us film the pod there.
For the finale of their road trip, Ismay finally gets to meet the center of this entire narrative – Lucinda Williams. Their goal is seeking guidance about what to do with their self-doubt. Ismay discovers that Lucinda had one major difference in her origin story that is the key to understanding why she never gave up herself. Ismay and Lucinda also discuss items from the archives that Ismay has gathered along their route to Nashville. Ismay performs the song, “Spin,” from the archives for her and is surprised by Lucinda’s reaction.
Produced in partnership with BGS and distributed through the BGS Podcast Network, Finding Lucinda expands on the themes of Ismay’s eponymous documentary film, exploring artistic influence, creative resilience, and the impact of Williams’ music. New episodes are released twice a month. Listen right here on BGS or wherever you get podcasts.
Finding Lucinda, the documentary film that inspired and instigated the podcast, is now available to purchase, rent, or stream via video on demand. (Find ways to watch here.) Both the film and podcast showcase never-before-heard archival material, intimate conversations, and a visual journey through the literal and figurative landscapes that molded Lucinda’s songwriting.
Credits: Produced and mixed by Avery Hellman for Neanderthal Records, LLC. Music by Ismay. Artwork by Avery Hellman. Nashville Recording: Recorded at Room & Board Studio. Sound Recordist: Rodrigo Nino Producer: Liz McBee Director: Joel Fendelman Co-Director & Cinematographer: Rose Bush Special thanks to: Siobhan Maher Kennedy, Ray Kennedy, Mick Hellman, Chuck Prophet, Jonathan McHugh, Sydney Lane, Don Fierro, Rebecca Jordan Williams, Jacqueline Sabec, Rosemary Carroll, Lucinda Williams, and Tom Overby.
Find more information on Finding Lucinda here. Find our full Finding Lucinda episode archive here.
Finding Lucinda is available to watch via purchase, rental, or video on demand. Find out how to watch here.
When Margo Price took the stage at Jimmy Kimmel Live earlier this week to promote her excellent new album, Hard Headed Woman, and to perform its lead single, “Don’t Let the Bastards Get You Down,” she had no idea she could end up being the final musical guest on the long-running and beloved late-night television show. It’s no surprise, though, that she had written and picked to perform such an apropos song for the moment – and for what would become the final musical performance on Kimmel ever. Across her many late night TV appearances, from Saturday Night Live to Full Frontal with Samantha Bee to The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Price never edits, pulls punches, or worries about “acceptability.” She brings her brash and bold outlaw trappings with her wherever she goes.
Late-night television may just be entertainment and may not seem incredibly important in the grand scheme. But as these platforms are canceled or removed – for financial reasons, or due to the ever-shifting landscape of television and show business, or due to the current crackdown on free speech and expression – roots, country, Americana, and bluegrass artists are losing strikingly valuable opportunities to reach new audiences and bring their art to millions and millions of viewers (and potential new fans) around the world. Both Kimmel and Colbert especially are obvious admirers of roots bands, artists, and musicians, often showcasing more country, bluegrass, and folk performers than their competitors in the space. Their cancellations amount to an immeasurable loss for working artists – and not just the superstars – of roots music.
Though these shows and stages with their far-flung, global reach are becoming even fewer and further between, and the working class and anti-establishment messages of Good Country like Price’s won’t be as common or frequent on late-night television as a result, the messages in the music will remain as prescient and topical as ever. In moments like these, we need more hard-headed women like Margo Price.
Below, enjoy a few of our favorite moments when Margo Price brought fire and brimstone, grit and gristle, twang and charm to these popular late-night television shows.
“Don’t Let the Bastards Get You Down” – Jimmy Kimmel Live (2025)
The lyric change heard ’round the world? Margo does such a great job of making music of and for the moment. “Don’t Let the Bastards Get You Down” is just one song from her latest album, Hard Headed Woman, that speaks to the tumult and turmoil through which we are all living. That’s what country music is for, after all. Johnny Cash was never the only star in the genre to flip a middle finger at “the man.” Maybe Margo didn’t know that’s what she was doing… (she absolutely knew, and always has).
“Hurtin’ (On the Bottle)” – Saturday Night Live (2016)
A huge moment in her career, Margo made her SNL debut in 2016, bringing her contagious Loretta-inspired and rock-fueled traditional country to one of the biggest and most mainstream stages there is today. Her huge hit at the time, “Hurtin’ (On the Bottle),” sounded just as good and just as compelling on the stage of SNL as it did on the album.
“Stone Me” – Full Frontal with Samantha Bee (2020)
This is what we mean when we say Margo Price has never backed down, pulled punches, or censored herself. If she were to appear on another late-night TV show, say, next week and perform “Stone Me” as she did on Full Frontal in 2020, the chorus would ring as true and righteously as ever: “Love me, hate me/ Desecrate me/ Call me a bitch, then call me baby/ You don’t know me/ You don’t own me/ Yeah, that’s no way to stone me…”
The signature agency and autonomy that are present through all of her work are on full display here – just like on Kimmel with “Don’t Let the Bastards Get You Down.”
“Since You Put Me Down” – Saturday Night Live (2016)
Margo Price will not be put “in her place.” Folks have tried and tried again, but it seems like oppositional energy fuels her. Now that is outlaw country.
For her second song selection for her SNL debut, she performed “Since You Put Me Down” with floor-length fringe and a perfect two-stepping back beat. She sticks it to the man yet again, with the speaker in the lyric saying her piece, claiming her space, and seeking justice.
“Lydia” – The Daily Show (2023)
If agency and autonomy are two of the most tangible through lines in Price’s songwriting, working-class issues would be right up there among them as a frequent topic and source of inspiration. On the surface, “Lydia” may seem like a traditional “sad ass” country story song, but the issues informing the lyric’s contours are very clearly why she brought this song to The Daily Show. Speaking about gentrification, healthcare, substance abuse, hardship, and societal and community neglect, Price finds authenticity in avoiding manicured, polished, and sanitized narratives. She’d always rather speak to real people about real issues.
“Four Years of Chances” (How I Wrote That Song) – The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon (2016)
When she appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Price participated in a “How I Wrote That Song” segment describing the process by which her original, “Four Years of Chances,” came to be. She always uses her television appearances to platform songs that talk about real life and about women’s issues; Margo effortlessly turns the tables on so many country tropes and leverages those expectations to surprise and engage.
“A Little Pain” – The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (2017)
“A Little Pain” from 2017’s All American Made opens with the lyric, “I’m so tired, but I can’t sleep/ Too many obligations I’m trying to keep/ Gotta please everybody except for myself…”
Yet, as we’ve seen from each of these television performances, Price doesn’t seem terribly concerned with pleasing anyone except herself. It’s within this paradox that we find perhaps the chief source of Price’s power. Like all humans – especially women and many other marginalized folks living through a white- and cis- and male-centric world – she experiences the insecurities, doubts, and trials that we all face. But instead of letting them put her down or keep her down, she still digs her heels in, takes up space, and says her mind.
That’s about as country as it can get, right there. While none of us are sure what the future holds, perhaps we need more of this kind of art and music on late-night television and not less.
Happy Friday! There’s plenty of new music to enjoy this week in our latest edition of You Gotta Hear This, our regular roundup of upcoming and just-released tracks and videos.
Kicking us off, innovative banjoist Wes Corbett (who currently tours with Sam Bush) shares the second single from his upcoming album, Drift. “Eagle Harbor” was inspired by the vibe and structure of Jackson Browne’s music and the picturesque ferry ride to Bainbridge Island in Washington state, where Corbett grew up. Guitarist, poet, and singer-songwriter Courtney Hartman is returning with new music as well; this time it’s a lush and whimsical neo-folk song co-written with Ana Egge about how being a mother and raising a child transformed the way she saw everything around her. It’s set to an intimate and cozy new music video you’ll love to watch.
New Mexico-based artist and songwriter Michael Rudd will release a new track, “Not Today,” next week and below you can find a preview of the number. It contemplates war, history, loss and their legacies; Rudd was spurred to write “Not Today” by the many wars ongoing today, especially in Gaza, and by his recent travel to Germany, Poland, and to visit monuments of the Holocaust.
Lauren Morse is ready to get you dancing with her new track and music video. “Let that Fiddler Fiddle” is a message we can certainly get behind. Inspired by Nashville’s ever-popular Honky Tonk Tuesday, it’s a two-stepping song sonically found where country and bluegrass meet – and perfect for toe-tapping or hip-swaying (or both). Trey Hedrick brings us a very enjoyable bluegrass track as well; “Passing Through” began to come together while Hedrick was out west and longing for the hills of home. With a talented roster of pickers and musicians on the song, Hedrick says it’s “a self reminder to go, to try, and to not leave the important things undone.”
Rounding us out, a group we’ve loved and collaborated with for a very long time, The Infamous Stringdusters, have a brand new single and a video to go with it. “Dead Man Walking” was written by Jeremy Garrett and Larry Keel. Don’t be fooled by the title, this is a song of uplift and positivity, set to the grooving and gritty style of bluegrass we all know and love from the Dusters.
It’s another stellar collection this week, if we do say so ourselves, and You Gotta Hear This!
Wes Corbett, “Eagle Harbor”
Artist:Wes Corbett Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee Song: “Eagle Harbor” Album:Drift Release Date: September 15, 2025 (single); October 3, 2025 (album) Label: Adhyâropa Records
In Their Words: “As a kid, Jackson Browne was playing around the house a lot so that music has always filled me with a sense of warm nostalgia. As an adult I’ve realized how gorgeous his music is and how profound of an impact I think it’s had on me as a musician. ‘Eagle Harbor’ is a reflection of this both in vibe and in structure – wide warm sounds, open space, and what I hope is a strong melody. It’s named after the main harbor on Bainbridge Island where I grew up, which looks particularly beautiful during golden hour as you approach on the ferry with the Olympic Mountains as the backdrop. This group of musicians is an absolute dream to make music with! With so much emotional depth and their masterful touches as a bedrock it has become one of my favorites on Drift. I feel so lucky and honored to have the chance to cut this track with them.” – Wes Corbett
Courtney Hartman, “Bright Eye”
Artist:Courtney Hartman Hometown: Eau Claire, Wisconsin Song: “Bright Eye” Album:With You Release Date: September 17, 2025 (video); August 27, 2025 (single); November 14, 2025 (album)
In Their Words: “I began writing ‘Bright Eye’ the first summer after my daughter was born. Loving her transformed the way I saw everything around me and I found myself surprised by the joy of seeing our life through her eyes. I believe that this is what love does: love of any kind changes how and what we see. It lets the light in.
“Ana Egge is a favorite songwriter of mine, she has a wonderful way of articulating melodies. I sent her an early version of the song and we finished it together. ‘Bright Eye’ also features harmonies from my dear friend and fellow Eau Claire artist and mother, Sarah Elstran (The Nunnery).
“I wanted the video for the song to give a real sense of the spirit behind With You – the community, the care, and the laughter. The album came about during a season of heaviness, but the women who co-wrote the songs with me, along with the friends who recorded them, truly helped to carry me through.” – Courtney Hartman
Track Credits: Courtney Hartman – Voice, guitars, songwriter Ana Egge – songwriter The Nunnery – Harmony vocals Ben Lester – Synth, pedal steel S. Carey – Drums, piano, synth Shane Leonard – Percussion Zoe Guigueno – Electric bass
Video Credits: Filmed by Kyle Lehman, edited by Erik Elstran.
In Their Words: “‘Passing Through’ started with my time living out West. I went out there looking for adventure, and I found it – mountains, open skies, and a pace to life that felt more open. But even then there was always a pull toward home, toward the hills. The song is about moving through places and seasons, chasing what you need to see while you can. It’s also about how all of us are just passing through in life, and how easy it is to get stuck only talking about the things we want to do. I’ve never wanted to live that way. That’s where the line ‘I ain’t afraid of dying, just the things I never did’ comes from. It’s a self reminder to go, to try, and to not leave the important things undone.” – Trey Hedrick
Track Credits: Trey Hedrick – Lead vocal, acoustic guitar, songwriter John Mailander – Fiddle Ethan Ballinger – Mandolin Frank Evans – Banjo Phillipe Bronchtein – Piano Jamie Dick – Drums Rhees Williams – Bass Maya De Vitry – Harmony vocals
The Infamous Stringdusters, “Dead Man Walking”
Artist:The Infamous Stringdusters Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee and Colorado Song: “Dead Man Walking” Album:20/20 Release Date: September 19, 2025 (single); January 2026 (album) Label: Americana Vibes
In Their Words: “I had this idea about a pitiful character that needed to snap out of their life and take a bigger view of everything before it was too late. I kept having Larry Keel’s voice in my mind as I worked through the melody of the song a bit, so I sent him a verse or two and he sent me back some. His lyrics were awesome, uplifting, and on the positive side. In a few sessions, we came up with what feels like a powerful chorus and a cool hook. It felt so natural for Dusters to make this one as country as we could and I just hope it resonates with everyone who listens, as it did with Larry and me as the songwriters.” – Jeremy Garrett
Video Credits: Directed and edited by Jack Gould at Ninja Video Production. Craig Babineau – Second camera
Lauren Morse, “Let That Fiddler Fiddle”
Artist:Lauren Morse Hometown: Jackson, Michigan Song: “Let that Fiddler Fiddle” Album:The Sweetest Sound (EP) Release Date: September 12, 2025 (video/single); January 2026 (EP)
In Their Words: “I wrote this song after a Nashville Honky Tonk Tuesday. I was being spun around by a man old enough to be my grandpa at the American Legion and I thought, ‘This is so much more fun than my date was the previous night.’ I immediately wanted to write a song folks could two-step to and that’s what I set out to do. Playing it out around Music City, I was always getting compliments on how it felt like nostalgic country music. It is the best feeling in the world to see the intention for the song to be played out in a music video with the same people who inspired it! I think it’s a real special song people get excited about and can’t help but clap or dance along.” – Lauren Morse
Video Credits:Directed by William Gawley. Produced by Michelle Robertson, Charlotte Avenue Pictures. Director of Photography – Wayne Taylor with Giovanni Gotay Drone pilot – Wayne Taylor Edited/color – Color Synch Visuals
Michael Rudd, “Not Today”
Artist:Michael Rudd Hometown: Albuquerque, New Mexico Song: “Not Today” Album:Ways of the World Release Date: September 26, 2025 (single), February 27, 2026 (album) Label: Invisible Road Records
In Their Words: “‘Not Today’ is about the legacy of war, both for the vanquished and the ‘victor.’ In a time when wars seem to be everywhere, the song considers not just the impact on those fighting now, but also on generations to come. ‘Not Today’ is from the perspective of a man who has lost everything – his family, his home, his land – but not the knowledge of who he is. It was most directly inspired by the war in Gaza and settler violence in the West Bank, as well as my visit last year to Berlin, Warsaw, Krakow, and Auschwitz. As an American Jew who grew up with the cornerstones of Israel, Jewish ethics, a knowledge of historical antisemitism, and the specter of the Holocaust, I wonder how future generations will process the current war and the influence it may have on how they see themselves and the world.” – Michael Rudd
Track Credits: Michael Rudd – Vocals, electric guitar Pat Malone – Electric guitar Mark Clark – Drums Brant Leeper – Hammond organ Asher Barreras – Electric bass Kelly Kuhn – Backing vocals
Photo Credit: The Infamous Stringdusters by Daniel Milchev; Courtney Hartman by Michelle Bennett.
Artist:Lauren Lovelle Hometown: Newton, Kansas Latest Album: My EP, Other Dreams, released September 9! Personal Nicknames (or rejected band names): Lolo or Lo. I really liked the band name “Lauren Lovelle and the Matter Babies,” too.
Which artist has influenced you the most – and how?
I’ve always been mesmerized by Linda Ronstadt’s voice, and the passion she channels when singing. She pours her entire heart out. Every song she ever sang felt like it was completely her own.
What’s your favorite memory from being on stage?
My favorite memories onstage are with my dad’s band as a child. There is something supernaturally special about making music with kin. I started playing with him when I was four. The memories of my father and grandpa teaching me to play and perform pass through my mind to the soundtrack of that ABBA song, “Thank You For the Music.”
“Thank you for the music, the songs I’m singing/ Thanks for all the joy they’re bringing… Thank you for the music, for giving it to me.”
What other art forms – literature, film, dance, painting, etc. – inform your music?
I absolutely love to dance. It’s so necessary and healing. Just like my therapist would tell me to do with emotions, I like to identify where exactly I feel the song in my body. It can be powerful to share the emotional embodiments of the songs with the band to help us communicate and feel it as a unit. Sometimes, I write something that I feel in my legs and feet and it makes me want to stomp and strut around the stage. Sometimes I write something in my shoulders and chest and it makes me feel like I’m floating. Sometimes the song springs from my gut or hips where it feels more natural to dig my feet in, staying planted and upright.
If you didn’t work in music, what would you do instead?
I’m a nursing school dropout. I was a CNA for awhile, so I could’ve likely continued down that path. I always told my mom I’d be a truck driver so I could listen to music and sing in the car as loud as I want all day. But when I was old enough to find out they can’t smoke weed, I decided that was no longer in the cards for me.
Since food and music go so well together, what is your dream pairing of a meal and a musician?
It’s simple, but listening to Hank Williams and eating beans or chili and cornbread feels right. I have done it before on purpose and by accident. Real cowboy meal. Makes me feel close to my grandpas.
You Gotta Hear This! Our weekly new music collection is yet again full-to-bursting with the best in country, bluegrass, Americana, and beyond. It’s another week for popcorn and Milk Duds, too, as most of our featured artists have brought us music videos to enjoy.
Son of iconic and beloved troubadour Jim Croce, singer-songwriter A.J. Croce brings a soulful and plaintive song, “Didn’t You Want That Too,” packaged in a brooding and passionate performance video. Croce tells us he wrote the song while heartbroken on a cross-country flight. South Caroline’s Jennie Arnau showcases an adorable stop-motion music video today for “Mabel,” a lovely and heartfelt Americana track inspired by her beloved cat and the idea that when you need connection and joy, one ought not forget the comfort and light we carry with us as we move through our communities and the world.
In the bluegrass realm, one of Western North Carolina’s favorite mandolinists/bandleaders Darren Nicholson drops a new single today, “Get Me Down the Line.” Written with Charles Humphrey III, it’s deep-pocketed and grooving modern ‘grass, an anthem for all the folks who might be chasing the next best thing. Plus, Josh “Jug” Rinkel returns with another solo performance video from his Live from Reverb and Echo Studio series. “Lonely and Free” came to Rinkel like a jolt in the middle of the night; he wrote the song sitting on the side of his bed at 4 a.m.
A Good Country purveyor of the first degree, Brennen Leigh has a new single that released last week, “Tell Me,” so we’re excited to share the new music video for that fine track. The video is a bit of an aesthetic time machine, a stylistic rewind that pays tribute to the ’60s on Music Row and “country business casual,” which we love. Boston-based artist Robin Young also shares her new video for “There’s a Part of Me,” below. Featuring a loping, energetic beat and plucked banjo, it’s the first song Young wrote for her upcoming album, Letters to a Ghost, and it artfully balances country and bluegrass grit with a lush, glossy polish.
Rounding us out, an indie folk singer-songwriter who’s almost universally beloved by the internet – and IRL – Mon Rovîa has announced his debut full-length album today with a new track, a single from the project, “Whose face am i.” Bloodline, the upcoming LP, arrives in January 2026. “Whose face am i” shows Mon’s captivating, contemplative sort of writing that has charmed millions of indie and roots fans around the globe. It’s a song about generational trauma, history, family, interpersonal connections, and the strife and turmoil that can stand between these facets of identity.
We hope you enjoy another exemplary round-up of roots music, ’cause You Gotta Hear This!
Jennie Arnau, “Mabel”
Artist:Jennie Arnau Hometown: Greenville, South Carolina Song: “Mabel” Album:A Rising Tide Release Date: September 5 (single); September 12 (video); November 7, 2025 (album)
In Their Words: “When I wrote ‘Mabel,’ I was reflecting on a time when I craved more connection and joy. While I was traveling alone, it occurred to me that my cat, Mabel, my constant companion and quiet soulmate, reminded me of the comfort and light I carry with me. That thought brought into focus how much I thrive when I’m traveling, meeting people, sharing a glass of wine, and exploring new ideas and places. That’s when I feel most alive. The idea for the video came to me immediately after. I found Adrian (the videographer) and asked him to capture a character on a journey – discovering light, warmth, and happiness along the way. In many ways, Mabel represents the brighter version of myself, the part that chooses joy and moves forward and he was really able to translate that in what I think is an amazing video.” – Jennie Arnau
Track Credits: Jennie Arnau – Vocals, acoustic guitar, songwriter Alan Lerner – Drums Pete Levin – Keyboards Binky Griptite – Electric guitar Brett Bass – Bass Greg McMullen – Pedal Steel Kendall Sherman – Background vocals Jacob Joliff – Mandolin Mike Savino – Banjo, tenor guitar
Video Credit: Adrian Venti
A.J. Croce, “Didn’t You Want That Too”
Artist:A.J. Croce Hometown: Born in Bryn Mawr near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Song: “Didn’t You Want That Too” Album:Heart of the Eternal Release Date: September 12 (video); March 7, 2025 (album)
In Their Words: “This is the most personal song on the album. Some songs I’ve written are fun to analyze, because in looking back I see that there was a deeper meaning than I realized at the time. In this case it’s too painful for me to look any deeper than the surface. I wrote it, heartbroken, on a flight from California to Tennessee.” – AJ Croce
Brennen Leigh, “Tell Me”
Artist:Brennen Leigh Hometown: Moorhead, Minnesota Song: “Tell Me” Album:Don’t You Ever Give Up On Love Release Date: September 3 (single); September 12 (video); October 3, 2025 (album) Label: Signature Sounds
In Their Words: “When our producer Kevin Skrla built Wolfe Island Recording Co., it was with Nashville’s legendary RCA Studio B in mind. Many of my favorite albums were made at RCA in the ’60s, so when we recorded the video for ‘Tell Me,’ we were imagining some of the magic that occurred in that world… when Nashville A Team studio musicians might have gone in for a day of work in the studio. We played dress up, imagining folks like legendary producer and musician Chet Atkins and visionary engineer and vocal group leader Anita Kerr, what they might have worn – country business casual – and the charts they may have made.
“I’ve always been a musician first and a performer second, so the world of working session players in the ’60s holds a special mystique for me. Georgia Parker, Rebecca Patek, and Josh Artall (some of my favorite musicians) portrayed the original session band, Dave Biller, Matty Meyer, Josh Hoag, and Damien O’Grady. Kevin Skrla and I portrayed ourselves. We’re saving up for a time machine.” –Brennen Leigh
Video Credit: Directed by Oceanna
Darren Nicholson, “Get Me Down The Line”
Artist:Darren Nicholson Hometown: Canton, North Carolina Song: “Get Me Down The Line” Release Date: September 12, 2025 Label: Mountain Home Music Company
In Their Words: “‘Get Me Down The Line’ is such a fun song! It’s another one that I co-wrote with Charles Humphrey III and it’s without a doubt the best response I’ve ever had to a song when performed for our live audiences. It’s a jukin’ little anthem for the person who is chasing the next best thing – another take on the human condition and how we are constantly looking for something to fill the void, looking for whatever ‘it’ is to make us feel better temporarily. I am laughing as I write this because I’m very familiar with this notion. I love writing songs about my own human experience, and I hope maybe others can relate to them from time to time. Thanks for listening! I hope you find yourself groovin’ along as well. Have fun and enjoy the quest for whatever ‘it’ is that gets you on down the line.” – Darren Nicholson
Track Credits: Darren Nicholson – Mandolin, lead vocal Tony Creasman – Drums Kristin Scott Benson – Banjo Mark Fain – Upright bass David Johnson – Acoustic guitar, resonator guitar Kevin Sluder – Harmony vocal Avery Welty – Harmony vocal
Josh Rinkel, “Lonely and Free”
Artist:Josh Rinkel Hometown: Mount Eden, Kentucky Song: “Lonely and Free” Album:Live from Reverb and Echo Studio Release Date: September 12, 2025 (video) Label: Reverb and Echo
In Their Words: “I’ve always heard songwriters tell stories about how a song came to them in their sleep, how it woke them up and they just had to write it… I never believed them until it happened to me. That’s how ‘Lonely and Free’ came about. I wrote that song sitting on the side of my bed after waking up out of a dead sleep at four in the morning. I think a lot of people are afraid to admit that they’re lonely and they write it off as being free or independent – not needing someone in their life to slow them down. To me, that’s the meaning behind ‘Lonely and Free.'” – Josh Rinkel
Video Credits: Video by Carter Brice; audio by Dan Deurloo.
Mon Rovîa, “Whose face am i”
Artist:Mon Rovîa Hometown: Libera-born, Tennessee-based Song: “Whose face am i” Album:Bloodline Release Date: September 12, 2025 (single); January 9, 2026 (album) Label: Nettwerk Music Group
In Their Words: “A lot of life is about your history. The search for understanding what has happened, what is, and what isn’t. The Truth lies at the epicenter of the case. For many adopted children, or those who have lost parents when young or never knew theirs to begin with, there can be an unspoken weight. We all long to know who brought us into this world, and at what cost. Relief releases sweetly as answers come to light. Know you aren’t alone in your search for your story. Many seek with you.” – Mon Rovîa
Robin Young, “There’s a Part of Me”
Artist:Robin Young Hometown: Boston, Massachusetts Song: “There’s a Part of Me” Album:Letters to a Ghost Release Date: September 17 (single); October 17, 2025 (album)
In Their Words: “‘There’s a Part of Me’ is the first song I wrote for my debut album, when my emotions were truly raw. I was in the beginning stages of a relationship with someone new while a large part of my heart stayed stubbornly loyal to someone from my past. He’d made me feel a depth of emotion that I just couldn’t seem to access with anyone else and I couldn’t imagine ever being able to move past it, though many years down the road I now thankfully have.
“The major chords during the chorus represent a momentary glimpse of what moving on might feel like, but then drift back into minor chords in the verses like a slide back to reality. Rather than sounding upbeat, the faster tempo is meant to feel almost frantic.
“The music video shows me trying to enjoy the beautiful scenery of Western Massachusetts in the present, while being continually pulled back into memories of the past. The one shot taken indoors is meant to evoke a confession booth as I express the guilt of retaining feelings for someone while in a relationship with someone else.” – Robin Young
Track Credits: Robin Young – Vocals, acoustic guitar, songwriter Charlie Burket – Electric guitar, mandolin, banjo Carter Sanders – Piano Russ Sternglass – Drums Joe McMahon – Upright bass
Video Credits: Directed and edited by Chris Bartlett. Color grading by Jefferson Rosa.
Photo Credit: Mon Rovîa by Zayne Isom; Brennen Leigh by Lyza Renee.
Editor’s Note: Each issue of Good Country, our co-founder Ed Helms will share a handful of good country artists, albums, and songs direct from his own earphones in Ed’s Picks.
Among the many excellent Texan country & western bands Asleep at the Wheel have been standing tall for more than 50 years. Their new album, Riding High in Texas, collects ten of the best songs about the state from some of country’s most iconic artists and writers – and it features quite a few stellar guests as well, like Lyle Lovett, Brennen Leigh, and Billy Strings.
A few short weeks ago, no one would have faulted you for not knowing who Eastern Kentucky bluegrass band the Creekers were. Now, their track “Tennessee” is seemingly everywhere on the internet. The song has been used on more than 36,000 TikTok videos and the group has quickly amassed upwards of 60,000 followers on the platform – plus, “Tennessee” has been streamed more than 3 million times on Spotify and has racked over half a million spins on YouTube! Let the catchy tune do the explaining why.
Here’s some Good Country! Now, it’s true not every track from this Mississippian genre-bender’s brand new album, Miss Black America, would be “permissible” on country radio, there are still plenty of rural, down-home, red clay, Americana moments throughout this impeccable collection. From the visuals of the album and her social media accounts to tracks like “The Man,” “Reparations,” “Mama Don’t Worry,” and “Thick n Country” it’s clear KIRBY and her material would fit right in alongside the best of today’s pop country and country trap – and would certainly outshine most songs in those subgenres, too.
The GC team was first introduced to this incredible singer-songwriter, Sabine McCalla, through her equally talented sister, Leyla. But soon after that she took the internet by storm with her Western AF video performance of “Baby, Please Don’t Go” – which rests comfortably at 1.1 million views on YouTube. McCalla just announced her debut full-length album, Don’t Call Me Baby, arriving November 7 via Gar Hole Records and we can’t wait. The singles she’s released so far promise more lovely and innovative heart-wrenching indie-roots music.
New Margo Price music is always cause for celebration. We’ve worked with Margo a lot over the years, from Bonnaroo to the Good Country Goodtime at Newport Folk Festival this July, and we’re constantly impressed by her drive, grit, tenacity, and the way agency is at the center of all of her work. That’s certainly true for her brand new album, Hard Headed Woman. Don’t ever change, Margo.
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Photo Credits: Asleep at the Wheel by Curtis Clogston; The Creekers courtesy of the artist; KIRBY by Justin Hardiman; Sabine McCalla by Camille Lenain; Margo Price by Yana Yatsuk
Sitting here in my baby’s room, feeling her kick in my belly while looking around at the dusty pink painted walls, baby owl wallpaper, refurbished 1960s furniture, a painting from her great grandmother on one wall, and her name – shared by two other great grandmothers – on the other wall, I’ve never been more certain that I’m exactly where I am meant to be in my life at this moment. Beulah Anne Chaffins. We love her so much already.
Like so many women in the music industry, I put off having a family thinking when my career takes off, then I’ll have my family. But “takes off” is so subjective, especially when you’re constantly moving the finish line for yourself. Earlier this year, I realized that if I kept waiting, I could literally wait myself forever out of the opportunity to have a family. I’m about to play Bourbon & Beyond, the biggest festival I’ve ever played, and I will be almost 8 months pregnant. It’s funny that this is actually the most outlaw thing I’ve ever done.
I didn’t grow up in a musical family. “Playing music” to my parents meant turning on the radio. I’m really excited to bring my daughter into a world of music. My husband, Adam Chaffins, and I do everything together. We garden, take care of our animals, travel, tour, write songs, and make records together. Beulah Anne already lights up when she hears us sing and play. I can feel her ball up in my belly, close to my guitar, and kick and turn as her daddy sings.
I put together a playlist of songs that I believe will be great to play for Beulah Anne when she finally gets here! It’s full of uplifting songs that don’t make us want to beat our heads against the wall. I know, I know, that will come eventually when she’s able to choose, but maybe if we start by instilling good taste early, it won’t be so bad? Wishful thinking? Maybe! – Brit Taylor
“Oo-De-Lally” – Roger Miller
Should be on any children’s playlist.
“Little Green Apples” – Bobbie Gentry & Glen Campbell
This wasn’t meant to be a kid’s song, but it is such a great love song and the melody is so simple and easy to remember. Adam and I love singing this one together.
“The Big Rock Candy Mountain” – Harry McClintock
The O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack is one of my favorite albums. There’s something about the old timey sound of this one that makes me feel like we’ve travelled back in time when things were just more simple.
“Didn’t Leave Nobody but the Baby” – Gillian Welch, Alison Krauss, and Emmylou Harris
This is from the same soundtrack. I can see myself singing this one to baby Beulah, trying to get her to sleep. Maybe I’ll leave out a line or two!
“You’ve Got a Friend in Me” – Randy Newman
An amazing way to let your kid know they’re not alone. I love this one by Randy Newman from Toy Story.
“Here Comes The Sun” – the Beatles
Could put anyone in a good mood.
“You Are My Sunshine” – Norman Blake
There’s so many great versions of this song, but I love this one by Norman Blake on the O Brother soundtrack. The Dobro gets me.
“(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear” – Elvis
This is a requirement for any children’s playlist I make. My daddy would play this one for me – along with every other Elvis song ever recorded.
“Build Me Up Buttercup” – The Foundations
Another one my Dad would play and sing to me. I remember loving this one and naming one of our dogs Buttercup!
“I Love” – Tom T. Hall
Tom T Hall was a poet and also from my hometown of Hindman, Kentucky. I love this one from his children’s record.
“Love is Like A Butterfly” – Dolly Parton
This has such a whimsical vibe! I love having this one in the mix. It transports you to a fairytale land.
“What A Wonderful World” – Louis Armstrong
I want Beulah Anne to always be able to see the beautiful things in the world. I don’t want her to be afraid of it. Perspective is key and songs like this can do just that.
“God Only Knows” – The Beach Boys
Adam and I sang this song on a Valentine’s Day livestream when he surprised me by proposing! My answer was a big fat “yes,” obviously. I can see us singing and dancing to this one with Beulah in our arms!
“(They Long to Be) Close To You” – The Carpenters
I always loved the Carpenters when I was little. My mom would play them for me. Especially at Christmas. Karen Carpenter’s voice is like a warm hug. There’s just something dreamy about this song, and I love the lyrics.
“Top Of The World” – The Carpenters
I want Beulah Anne to have a positive outlook on life. I want to instill positive self-talk, so when she hears her inner voice it’s encouraging instead of scary or mean. I hope starting her off on music like this will help her always feel more like she’s on top of the world instead of down in the gutter, even in the hard times of life.
“Ol’ Blue” – Willie Nelson
A must. Beulah’s first dog will be our dog, Blue, so this one was definitely a sure bet.
Artist:Diane King Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee (grew up in Beverly, Ohio) Latest Album:SKY (releasing September 19, 2025) Personal Nicknames (or rejected band names): D-Music
Which artist has influenced you the most – and how?
I actually have five or six artists who have had a big influence on my songwriting and artistry. But, to pick one: it’s Olivia Newton-John. I heard her song, “Let Me Be There,” on our country radio station in southeastern Ohio when I was around 8 years old. I remember it vividly. We had just pulled into the grocery store parking lot as the song began to play. I asked my mom if we could listen to it before going into the store. She happily obliged and, at the end of the song, the DJ said, “That’s Olivia Newton-John,” and my life was changed.
Specifically speaking to her musical talents, the two things I love most are her beautiful voice and her flawless harmonies. I love vocal harmony and her albums are full of them! But, Livy is so much more to me than a singer or musical artist. In addition to loving her angelic voice, I love her kindness and gentle spirit. And, frankly, she was a light for me. As a young girl, I watched her career and accomplishments and I knew there was something outside of the hills where I was growing up.
Here’s an interesting story. When I was working with Harlan Howard we were going to lunch one day and he asked me who I received my “calling” through. I remember just looking at him and pausing, because I hadn’t known anyone before who understood that, receiving your calling to music through another artist. I knew exactly what he meant. After pausing, I said, “Olivia Newton-John,” and in my mind I reflected back on that day in the car at 8 years old, listening to “Let Me Be There.” Harlan nodded and said, “Yep! I met her once; she was a sweetheart and a great singer!” He proceeded to tell me he received his calling through Ernest Tubb over the radio listening to the Opry in a barn loft in Michigan. It was a moment, for someone to fully understand how another artist can have such profound meaning in your life. That person for me is Olivia Newton-John.
What’s your favorite memory from being on stage?
My favorite memory is going to be when I stand in the circle of the Grand Ole Opry to sing my songs on the live show for the first time!
What’s the most difficult creative transformation you’ve ever undertaken?
I had a five-year battle with and recovery from lymphoma. I had a significant amount of trauma to my neck and throat with multiple procedures and surgeries in that area. Once I finally turned the corner on that cancer battle and the healing began, my voice performed differently. That has been and still is a big adjustment for me. Singing is certainly not as easy as it used to be “BC” (before cancer, as I call it), but I keep at it! I’m so grateful to be writing, singing, and recording again!
What is a genre, album, artist, musician, or song that you adore that would surprise people?
These are some songs that will likely surprise you that stop me in my tracks when I hear them. When they’re playing, I have to stop whatever I’m doing and just listen and be in the song. I can’t function in any other way.
“Uptown Funk” – Bruno Mars “Nessun Dorma” – Aretha Franklin “Dancing Queen” – ABBA “Play That Funky Music White Boy” – Wild Cherry “Shake It Off” – Taylor Swift “Shoop Shoop” – Whitney Houston “Simply the Best” – Tina Turner “Addicted to Love” – Robert Palmer “Deborah’s Theme” – Chris Botti
Since food and music go so well together, what is your dream pairing of a meal and a musician?
I so love this question! I can’t even tell you how many times my co-producer, Stephan Oberhoff, and I would use food metaphors to communicate with each other what we wanted to hear when recording a song. Such as me saying, “Stephan, it needs to sound more lush, like a creamy, rich alfredo sauce with a subtle hint of salt.” Or, “Can you make it sound warmer – it needs a dash of nutmeg.” So, yes, I agree that food and music go well together, in many ways! To answer your question: Dolly Parton and fried chicken (with some spice) and waffles with real maple syrup, a side of mashed potatoes with butter, sweet iced tea, and a piece of homemade apple pie a la mode!
Rebecca Porter has earned some much-deserved praise in the past couple years as she has emerged on the national singer-songwriter scene. Following the release of her 2023 EP, Queen of the Local, she drew the eyes and ears of BGS and Good Country’s founder and was invited to perform at Mountain Stage. Not bad for an artist who had only released five songs total.
Now, however, Porter is back with a full-length album, Roll With The Punches, which released August 8. It’s a concept recording that introduces her life story as if it were a 1970s Western film. If that seems an unlikely concept for a Guam-born, Shenandoah Valley-raised singer-songwriter, Porter concedes that maybe it is – at least on the surface.
In her recent conversation with Good Country about the project, Porter talked about how the concept came together, why she thinks people assume her music is going to sound different than it does, and what she hopes listeners gain from tuning in.
Where did the concept for this album come from? Did you have the idea first, or did the songs sort of come together in this way that started to feel cinematic?
Rebecca Porter: Yeah, I had most of the songs written. Some of them I wasn’t playing out, though, because I wasn’t really sure where they fit or what their purpose was. I started writing “Roll with the Punches” and it felt like it went with some of these other songs. We hadn’t even started talking about recording an album. [But] when I put “Roll with the Punches” with these other songs, they all were autobiographical. I felt like they really could be pieced together in this concept and be brought to life through Western cinema.
I grew up watching spaghetti westerns with my stepdad and family, but [this theme] felt like a way to take control of a narrative that [people may not] see coming from a woman – a woman of color – the term itself, “roll with the punches,” turning that on its head with the record and the songs. [It’s about] not just going with the flow or with what’s said that I’m allowed to have and changing what that actually means for me.
I’m sure people ask you all the time about coming from your cultural heritage as a Southern Pacific Islander and growing up in Appalachia. What is identity to you? What’s your relationship with the concept of identity? Did that have anything to do with this album?
When I talk about the concept itself, I try to be intentional about saying that this is my interpretive lens of Western cinematography, because I’m certainly not an expert on Western cinematography. This is just something that I grew up watching and really loved and enjoyed but, like many things, I just didn’t see myself in. I very much loved what it brought about in the way that I connected with it.
Then, my mixed heritage: Being from Guam, having more Indigenous heritage, growing up in rural Virginia from a young age, my parents divorcing. I very physically represent my Pacific Islander heritage, but I’ve been raised in this rural Appalachian state.
I actually just did a radio interview and was talking about not understanding as a child, but understanding [better] as an adult, with the help of therapy, like, “What is my identity? Are there clear boundaries?” [It’s] like the analogy of the person spinning all the plates. There’s all these moving pieces and it’s complicated. There’s trauma involved. [I’m] embracing that I can be more than one thing. Therapy has really helped me take hold of two or more things to be true at once.
A personal struggle is [wondering,] “Am I a good representation of my ancestors, whoever that is?” You know, physically, I really identify and represent my Chamorro heritage, but I wasn’t raised in Guam. I was raised in the States … by my grandmother, who I have identity and connection struggles [with] at times. My mother and I have gone through a lot in our lifetime together and she’s a huge supporter of mine, but there are very big and real aspects of my life – and who I am as a person, [how] I experience the world – that she doesn’t understand. So then how do I deal with that and how do I process that?
You roll with the punches?
You know, I have to admit, as a white lady in Maine, I feel an obligation to underscore identity for the purpose of representation, but I also recognize that my ability to understand that question and how to word it is clunky at best.
I appreciate you asking. I mean, I’ve certainly been in spaces where people immediately think that I don’t belong or there’s this othering. And then I’ve been in spaces where I’m with people who will just come up and ask, “Why did you pick country music?” or “Why did you decide to do this and not this other kind of music – or your music?” It’s like… A) What does that mean? And B) I grew up in rural Virginia, so this is my music.
Let’s talk about the songs on this album, which are so fantastic. What I love about this album is that it does everything country music does. It’s speaking for the average everyday person on a working-class level – like “The Laundry Pile” and “Payday Loans.” But it also doesn’t get trope-y. I wonder if that is a happy accident, or if it’s something you worked really hard on with editing and crafting these songs.
Sometimes it’s a happy accident. With those songs, particularly, I tried to be really intentional about the things I was saying and how I was saying them. [I was] coming from a real place and personal experience with those things. Laundry is something I struggle with. The day I wrote that song, I had piles of laundry that needed to be done and, mentally, I could not get with the program. You have these things you need to do. They’re simple mundane tasks, you know. “Why is this such a big deal?” So I sat on the edge of the bed and I wrote this song.
In my mind, the topic of authenticity … bring[s] it back to identity. You know, people have questioned the authenticity of me singing country music or, you know, my relationship with [country]. You can hear these songs and feel and know that they’re real and they’re coming from a very real place, real experiences. I may not “look like I sing country music” to some people, but that isn’t where the authenticity comes from in my mind.
“Payday Loans” is the same. You know, payday loans were just part of my childhood. I was really struggling with finances as an adult. [I was stuck in] these cycles that I had learned as a young child – the weight of financial stability. I have a five-year-old and I was trying to reconcile how I talk about and deal with money or financial things in front of my son. … Payday loans were this big weight that I was aware of at a very young age. [I thought of] how terrible that entire system is, but then also how it affected me from that time into adulthood.
Listening to you talk about that as a sort of enculturation goes back to the topic of identity. Realizing what you grew up with, what you want to carry forward, what you want to hand to your children, and what you want to let go of.
Identity is all over this record. I didn’t hear it to that depth until you were just explaining payday loans, but it’s really there as a through line. Do you feel like that was a common thread in this album, tying everything together? Reckoning with what you have been handed and, and what you want to give?
One hundred percent. Roll with the punches. I don’t have to just take what I’ve been handed or allowed to have or been given. I’m finding ways that I can make changes for myself and for my son, or if I ever have more children. [I’m] able to break those cycles.
I want to go back to “The Laundry Pile.” I could be projecting, but it feels straight out of the Dolly Parton canon. It’s a small thing, but it’s also so big – literally and figuratively. You get to this line, “That shit ain’t getting put away.” It’s sort of a resignation, but it’s also empowering to be able to make a decision about it.
That makes the song feel bigger than, “Oh my God, I don’t want to do the laundry.” Was that what you were trying to figure out with the song? Or was it really like, “I’m going to write one for the laundry pile, because I don’t want to fold the laundry?”
It was intentional. I think, when I first started writing it, I [thought,] “This is kind of silly.” But you have to make a decision: Are you going to beat yourself up [about] laundry or not?
You know, you have to decide how you’re going to deal with the situation. The option isn’t just, “You have to get it done.” You can sidestep it or you can save it for another day.
What do you hope people walk away from this project with, once they’ve really dug into it?
I want people to see something that hits home for them, either on a musical level or through the lyrics. I want them to feel seen. I want them to know that everything’s going to be OK. There are ways that we all have the capacity to make changes in our lives. We don’t have to just deal with what we’ve been given and keep going with the flow. You might cause upset, whether it’s personally or externally, but you don’t have to accept what people are willing to give you, or what you’re surrounded by.
That certainly does not mean it’s easy to make changes, but I just want people to feel seen and feel, I guess, even the slightest sense of empowerment. There is something that can change even the smallest piece of their day or where they’re at in a relationship. That there’s some music out there [for them].
Photo Credit: Heather Goodloe
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