Tag: Good Country

Tucker Wetmore Is Buckled Up for the Ride

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

If you’ve read about Tucker Wetmore or listened to one of his many interviews, chances are the following subjects were lobbed his way: women, whiskey, blondes versus brunettes.

When the “star-maker machinery” that is the business of music collides with media outlets in search of headlines and algorithm rankings, it can make or break a promising new artist by reducing them to a pretty face with a clickbait story angle, the whole time steamrolling over the singer-songwriter at the core.

Tucker Wetmore is keenly aware of this and proceeds with caution. He’s affable enough to play along and astute enough to know the game. Peel back the layers and you’ll find a thoughtful, hard-working artist rooted deeply in faith and family and with a sense of public image versus personal values, carefully monitoring how and what he presents.

With multiple hit singles, award nominations, over a billion streams, product endorsements and campaigns, television appearances, endless interviews, the 2024 breakout Waves on a Sunset EP, and 2025’s unstoppable nineteen-track What Not To, Wetmore is taking it all in with cautious abandon, savoring the wins as they come.

It’s been a long, hard-fought road in a story now told countless times: he grew up in a small town, was raised in the church, brought up by his mother when his father walked out on the family. Music became vital at a young age, athletic prowess and four state titles led him to college, a severe football injury sidelined his career goals. Back home, he again threw himself into music, moved to Nashville in 2020, and pursued his dream.

On January 25, 2026, Wetmore added another victory to his timeline – this one particularly special, as it brought with it a lifetime of memories. He performed the National Anthem at Lumen Field during the halftime show at a Seattle Seahawks game, in front of a stadium filled with cheering fans.

He was still on that high when he spoke with Good Country only days after – and days before the launch of his Brunette World Tour. “It felt like a full circle moment,” he says of the halftime show. “I’ve been to Seahawks games growing up. I’ve been in that stadium, screaming my face off, cheering for the ‘Hawks. But to be on the field and playing my songs in front of thousands and thousands of people was absolutely surreal, especially for something as big as the NFC Championship. I’ve pretty much seen every NFC Championship since I was born. I was super nervous, but we got through it and we didn’t mess up too bad, so it was a good time.”

You have the biggest country debut album from a new artist in 2025. When did you realize that things were really taking off and it was time to “buckle your seatbelt, because this is happening”?

Tucker Wetmore: I’d say even before the album. The first time I felt like that was when Kameron Marlowe was nice enough to bring me on tour. I had one song out and I hadn’t even dropped “Wind Up Missin’ You” yet. I remember getting onstage at that first show and people screaming my songs back to me, singing every word to the songs I had teased [online]. It was absolutely insane. I was like, “I should probably buckle up. This is getting pretty real.” That’s when I knew I might have a chance to do this.

Can you ever be truly prepared for this level of success?

There’s definitely ways to prepare for certain situations, but there’s curveballs thrown at you every single day, so there’s no way to prepare for that. To put it in sports terms, learning how to sit back on the curve, wait for it to cross the plate, swing, and hopefully hit it.

We know about fan reactions to “What Not To,” and people relating to it from the perspective in which you wrote it. Have you also heard from fathers whom that song is hitting as hard because of what they didn’t do?

I’ve heard stories at meet-and-greets, people spending a little extra time telling me about how much that song has helped them cope. But I don’t think I’ve heard anything from fathers having that realization. That’s a touchy subject, and I hope it moves some fathers to want to be better.

All I can do with my music is write what I’m feeling, produce it the way I think it should sound, and put it out to the world for people to do what they will with it. One of my goals with that song was hopefully this changes some viewpoints on some fathers, and hopefully it helps people learn. It’s a “glass half full” kind of song. It’s saying, “Even though these things happened to me in my life, I can learn from this and use everything as a lesson,” instead of, “Oh, poor me.”

Have you ever fallen into that mindset?

I think we’re all human and we all do it. Not in a really long time, though.

I look at life as an opportunity. Whether it’s good or bad, it’s always an opportunity to learn and grow. I don’t [fall into it] so much anymore, but I remember being young and being pretty upset about some of the cards I was dealt. Luckily, my mom’s great and my family’s super supportive, I’ve got the best friends in the world that think the world of me, and I do the same for them. So I’ve got good people around me to keep my head on straight.

You had to grow up early when your dad left. What are some life lessons you took from those years that apply to your life and career now?

Growing up, I had four sisters and a beautiful mother, so it was a lot of women in the house, but it taught me a lot of things and I wouldn’t have changed it for the world.

There’s definitely times where I thought, “It’d be really nice to go out with another male and throw the ball out in the yard.” But looking back at it now, I learned so much about how to care for women, and how to be a provider, at a really young age, even though there wasn’t much I could do back then. Now I’m taking all those lessons and putting them into real life, like providing for my family, taking care of them, making sure they’re good mentally and financially.

A lot of things I learned at a young age are translating into my life now. Down the road, when I do find that special someone, I want kids someday. I want to build a family and do it right. And so I’d say I’m prepared for when that day comes because I know what to do and what not to do.

In an interview with Billboard, you said about music, “It saved me. It helped me. It was my therapy.” Let’s talk about how music helped you and how it continues to do so.

Music is, in my opinion, the best form of therapy. I think it’s God’s gift to us to be able to create and sing along, or dance, or whatever it is, to a tune. Music has shaped my mindset so much. I started playing when I was 10 or 11 years old and it shaped the way I cope with things. Instead of getting angry or upset or sad or frustrated, whatever the emotion is, I sit down at my piano and I just play for 30 minutes to an hour.

Being creative and having that creative mind, it runs fast and it runs 24/7. It’s … not a double-edged sword, but there’s a yin-yang to it. Music is the thing that drives me crazy because my mind can’t shut up and stop. But at the same time, I was in a write yesterday and the energy in the room was so great for four or five hours straight. We were smiling and laughing and creating the song. So music is my escape from what music does to my brain, if that makes any sense. It helps me ease the craziness of my mind.

During those earlier periods, when music, as you said, saved you, how dark was the darkness?

I lean very strongly on my faith, even during the dark times, and we all get them. I’m the happiest man in the world most days, but I still have days where the weight of the world feels like it’s compressing my spine, in a sense. It’s definitely been dark at times, but I lean on faith and I lean on God, and I lean on my music and other people’s music. It’s easy to snap out of when you have those avenues that are so moving to the soul or the mind.

Has there ever been a time when your faith wavered, or when you questioned it?

Yes. In college … it sounds wrong, and I don’t mean it in this way, but I kind of put my faith on the back burner. I was focusing on other things instead of the most important thing. I was playing football, I was partying a lot with my buddies, I was drinking every weekend to escape whatever it is. I still drink, but I do it with a solid conscience and it’s more celebratory now. There’s a fine line of focusing on worldly things and keeping your eye on the bigger picture of faith and the blessings that God has for us, because there’s so many.

You are giving a portion of ticket sales from this tour to Face The Fight, supporting suicide prevention and mental health treatment for veterans. Why is this the organization you selected to promote and help?

The first time meeting them, I turned to my manager and I was like, “I want a part of this. Let’s find a way to do something.” We put our minds together and it was, “What if we do ticket sales?” I was like, “Yes, a hundred percent.” It’s a huge thing for me because I’ve got a lot of veterans in my family, a lot of men that served and that have given their life on the battlefield.

My grandpa was like my father figure a lot growing up. He ended up taking his life five years ago. He was a very decorated veteran and one of the best people I’ve ever met, but even though it was so many years later, he couldn’t win that battle in his mind.

I think it’s super important to not just shine a light on it, these people that have given so much for our country and the people in it. It is such a selfless act, especially in the heat of war, when you’re fighting for people that you don’t even know, and doing things that no human should do, in my opinion. And then to come home, and 20 or 30 years down the road you’re still thinking about it, and still in that mental space of, “I can’t escape my mind.”

What [Face The Fight] is doing is amazing. It’s a blessing to be a part of. I think if my grandpa had an avenue like that, or knew of an avenue like that, maybe he’d still be here.

In an interview or podcast, you mentioned that you read the comments–

Sometimes.

You must have a really thick skin, because that can wear a person down.

There’s a lot of keyboard warriors out there. I can read the worst comment in the world and it doesn’t get under my skin at all. At the end of the day, I know who I am. The irony behind it is most of the people saying heinous and nasty things online have never created a song. They’ve never sung a tune. They’ve never sat in a room at 3 a.m. because they can’t sleep and put all their feelings on a piece of paper and tried to put a melody behind it. They don’t get it. They see things at surface level. I’m not going to bash on them or say it’s their fault for that. There’s irony behind it and that’s all I take it as. It’s funny to me. It’s almost comical at times.

@tuckerwetmore This one is getting loud live.. #songofthesummer ♬ Brunette – Tuck

I heard you use the words “build your brand” during a podcast. There’s a lot of image in this industry: wear the tight jeans, pose with your shirt up – you know what I’m talking about. How do you make sure this doesn’t overshadow the craft? As a new artist, do you have the autonomy to say no, to not answer a question, to stop an interview, to not want to take this picture?

While building a brand, and while creating something that is larger than yourself, it is more important to say no than it is to say yes. I definitely have the autonomy of saying no, and I do say no to a lot of things that come across the table. It’s saying yes to the correct things that align with not just the goal of what we’re trying to build, or the pillars that we are building it on, but morally. I account for my faith in pretty much all the decisions I make.

If I could give advice to any artist coming up – and I’m still making my way there – my biggest piece of advice is, “Say no to things that don’t feel right or don’t make you look like you.” I think I’ve done that pretty decently. At the beginning it’s really hard to say no to things, because you want every opportunity there is. But now I’m saying no to a lot more, saying yes to the correct things, and trusting my people. They know who I am and what we all want to build together, and it makes it a little easier.

Earlier you mentioned people reacting to song teasers. Before this career explosion, was there pressure to keep up when “everyone” is teasing songs on social media and the algorithm is bombarding people? It can turn into artists chasing numbers, which can also affect your mental health. How did you ride that storm without falling victim to it?

The grace of God, honestly. That’s a tough thing. It’s easy to compare yourself to others, based on a numerical scale of, “This got a million views, and I just posted one that’s got 150,000, it’s not being shared.” It’s very easy to get into that comparison mindset, but I do think it’s important to keep posting your stuff. Luckily, I’m getting to the point where I don’t have to post all the time. Posting is one of the most taxing things to my brain. I can’t stand just sitting there and making TikToks or taking photos or whatnot.

I realize the weight that a viral video can hold to your career and to a certain song or a project. It’s an easy way for millions of people to engage with what you’re trying to create. It’s a great tool. That’s the word I’ll use for it: social media is a tool. Some people idolize it and can’t go through their day without it. I look at it as a tool for people to share my music and hear my music and get excited about the things I’m trying to do.

We can’t do this without talking about your mother. She is such an integral part of your life and your career. Without her support, how different would your trajectory have been?

I don’t think there would be any trajectory at all, honestly. After I got injured playing football and dropped out of college, I was living back home. I remember having that conversation with her. I was like, “Mom, I really want to chase this music thing.” It was like a sigh of relief from her, in a sense. Her shoulders went down, she took a deep breath, she goes, “Finally. Finally. I’ve been telling you this for years now.”

She helped me pack up all my stuff and move, and she supported me financially the first couple years of me moving to Nashville. I would be living on the street if it weren’t for her – metaphorically living on the street, because she would never let me do that. She believed in me before I even had good songs. She believed in my work ethic and my mind and my creativity. One of the biggest blessings God has given me is a mother who cares and wants to see her kids succeed in whatever dream they have.

And now she’s doing podcasts and talking about your childhood.

Yeah. Somebody needs to rein her back a little bit!

You love being on the lake. Is water also a form of therapy for you?

Oh, a hundred percent. I grew up in a super small town, Kalama, Washington. Because it’s built up on a hill, pretty much wherever you are, you can see the Columbia River. I spent so much time on that river, or on the Kalama River, or at the lakes surrounding. I feel happiest when I’m at the ocean or at the islands.

I’ve got a lake house in Nashville and it’s a great escape for me to go back home and be able to sit there and look at the water. It helps not just my creative mind, but [also] my mental health. Another thing God has given us as natural therapy is the beauty of a body of water. It’s the most simple thing in the world, but I do not take it for granted.

Is it a spiritual place for you as well, a natural church?

Yeah. Anything can be a church, as long as you’ve got the spirit in it!

What’s on your heart as you’re getting ready for this tour?

Excitement. It’s been a couple months since I’ve toured and I’m itching and eager to get back to it. I’ve had a great break. I’ve had a very creative break. I finished writing my second album yesterday. Obviously, things change and I get new thoughts or whatever, but right now I feel pretty confident in the songs we got, and I’m excited to get back on the road and maybe tease or play some of these new ones and see how people like them.

And I’m excited to just be on the road. I feel most alive when I’m in the craziness of it all. It does get taxing at times, but it’s truly a drug to not just me, but pretty much all my artist buddies. It’s a feeling you can’t really explain, getting up on a stage in front of thousands and having people scream your creations back to you. It’s the coolest thing in the world. I’m excited to see the fans and be with my band, my crew, and my team. It’s a family that we’ve built, and it’s going to be cool. I’m excited.

Since you brought it up, before we close, what can you tell us about the next album?

It is sonically one of the coolest things I’ve heard in a long time. I don’t want to give too much away. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about what I want this next record to be for the last year already. I think about what I get in my truck and listen to, and I’m kind of an older soul. So it’s very ‘70s-influenced and early ‘80s, with the guitar tones and drums and weird, synth-y sounding steel guitar licks. It’s really cool and it’s fresh, and I don’t think anybody’s really doing it right now, which I’m excited about but which is also scary, because I don’t know how people are going to feel about it because it is different.

I was thinking about this yesterday, actually: “Proving Me Right” is the perfect bridge into this next chapter, sonically. It’s not too far leaning over there, but it’s still got the old tendencies in it. If you were to listen to anything that gets you excited about this next record, I’d say “Proving Me Right” is a great start.

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Photo Credit: Chase Foster

You Gotta Hear This: New Music From Tenille Townes, Mac Cornish, and More

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

It’s Friday and it’s new music time! We’ve got a few things on the slate that you simply gotta hear.

Starting us off, quickly rising bluegrass up-and-comer 16-year-old Asher Brinson gives us a sneak preview of his upcoming single, “Midnight Hurricane,” the title track for an album the young songwriter and picker has set for release in early April. “Midnight Hurricane” features Sierra Hull on mandolin and Lindsay Lou on vocals – and Brinson more than holds his own among the talented roster on the track.

Also in bluegrass sounds, Jesse Smathers turns the clock and calendar back to the primordial musical ooze before bluegrass with his rendition of “Take A Drink On Me.” The track was inspired by Charlie Poole and the North Carolina Ramblers, with whom Smathers shares a hometown. As the artist and mandolinist puts it, “This tune is a prime example of early popular dance music” – the kinda stuff that inspired the earliest bluegrass artists like Bill Monroe, Earl Scruggs, and many others. In the hands of Smathers and his band, it’s a bluegrass song fit for any era.

There’s Good Country to enjoy below, as well. Mac Cornish unveils a new track, her cover of Ian & Sylvia’s “Trucker’s Cafe.” You can almost catch the glint of bright sunshine off a chromed truck stop diner listening to the tune, lush with pedal steel and honky-tonkin’ guitar. The boot scootin’ track was recorded in Nashville and produced by Andrija Tokic.

To round us out, Tenille Townes returns to the site with “The Acrobat,” a contemplative and resonant song featuring another of our favs, Lori McKenna. “When you’re barely hanging on it’s easy to let go,” Townes sings, her voice rich with emotion and conviction. The song is the title track for Townes’ upcoming album, set for release in April, and is a fitting nexus point for the LP. “After losing my way for a while,” Townes shares with BGS, “this song felt like such an important anchor for this album.” You can watch the brand new music video for “The Acrobat” below.

Take a scroll and enjoy your listen – You Gotta Hear This!

Asher Brinson, “Midnight Hurricane”

Artist: Asher Brinson
Hometown: Newport, North Carolina
Song: “Midnight Hurricane”
Album: Midnight Hurricane
Release Date: March 6, 2026 (single); April 3, 2026 (album)

In Their Words: “When Chris Henry and I got together to write, I told him I was having an ‘off’ day and he said to let it flow – say whatever was on my mind. Those thoughts became the first line of ‘Midnight Hurricane.’ Growing up on the North Carolina coast, hurricanes have always just been a part of my life. And it seemed like they always hit at night! Midnight is quiet, but your thoughts aren’t, and hurricanes are like that — all of your feelings hitting at once. It’s a love story wrapped in chaos and after the storm, there’s a calm that makes you appreciate what’s steady and real. With Sierra Hull on mandolin and Lindsay Lou on vocals, this song instantly became one of my favorites. I feel like they both added just the right touch. While hurricanes unfortunately bring destruction, they also have a way of bringing people and communities together… to uplift each other, support, and rebuild.” – Asher Brinson

Track Credits:
Asher Brinson – Guitar, lead vocal
Cory Walker – Banjo
Jason Carter – Fiddle
Christopher Henry – Bass, baritone vocal
Sierra Hull – Mandolin
Lindsay Lou – Tenor vocal

Mac Cornish, “Trucker’s Cafe”

Artist: Mac Cornish
Hometown: Currently Nashville, Tennessee, but grew up in the Bay Area, California
Song: “Trucker’s Cafe”
Release Date: February 27, 2026

In Their Words: “This single is a cover of the Ian & Sylvia song, ‘Trucker’s Cafe.’ The song is from their 1969 record, Great Speckled Bird, which they also used as the name of their newly formed band, including the likes of Buddy Cage and David Briggs. Ian and Sylvia are a huge influence on me because of their blending of folk, rock ‘n’ roll, and country – especially on this album and this song. The song is a subversive take on the trucking country fad of the 1960s and ’70s, taking the perspective of a heartbroken truck stop diner waitress. The vocals are distinctly folk with their vibrato and falsetto, but the instrumentation is all rockin’ country goodness with walking bass and ripping pedal steel. I’ve always said that the best year in music was 1969. This is one of the many songs I absolutely love from that year in music and it only felt right to record a cover and honor my influences. My cover was recorded in October of 2025 at the Bomb Shelter in Nashville, TN and was produced by Andrija Tokic.” – Mac Cornish

Track Credits:
Mac Cornish – Vocals, acoustic guitar
Charlie Fuerstch – Electric guitar
Jeff Taylor – Piano
Cooper Dickerson – Pedal steel
Jack Lawrence – Bass
Dave Racine – Drums

Jesse Smathers, “Take A Drink On Me”

Artist: Jesse Smathers
Hometown: Floyd, Virginia
Song: “Take A Drink On Me”
Release Date: February 27, 2026
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “Though my familial roots are deeply planted in Western North Carolina, I was raised in Eden, NC – the home of Charlie Poole. I spent my youth picking and competing at the Charlie Poole Festival there. The festival was held at Morehead Park, on the same grounds where the cotton mill Poole used to work at once stood. I heard the music of Charlie Poole and the North Carolina Ramblers ringing throughout my childhood. He, along with his bandmates, were some of the most prominent precursors to bluegrass stylings that came nearly 20 years later. Tales of Poole, Posey Rorer, and Norman Woodlief are still being told today, as you would expect, with larger-than-life personalities and musicians.

“I often imagine this scene: walking down Morgan Road in Spray (one of three small communities that made up Eden) in 1926 as a bystander and hearing the centric bounce of Piedmont Mill music in the distance. As I approach, I witness the North Carolina Ramblers sitting on a stoop sharing tunes and a jug of the best white liquor that the area along the NC/VA line is so notorious for. That sight is exactly what came to mind when recording this tune and what comes to mind when I hear it back. This tune is a prime example of early popular dance music. Hunter Berry on fiddle masterfully captured the necessary musical essences all while integrating his own spontaneous and playful liveliness. The same can be said of Corbin Hayslett who mixed in popping Charlie Poole banjo techniques. Whether it’s a Coke, glass of tea, a beer, or a jar of Shooting Creek’s finest, all you rounders get ready to party and ‘Take A Drink On Me’!” – Jesse Smathers

Track Credits:
Jesse Smathers – Guitar, lead vocal
Hunter Berry – Fiddle
Corbin Hayslett – Banjo
Nick Goad – Mandolin, harmony vocal
Joe Hannabach – Upright bass
Patrick Robertson – Harmony vocal

Tenille Townes, “The Acrobat” featuring Lori McKenna

Artist: Tenille Townes
Hometown: Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada
Song: “The Acrobat” featuring Lori McKenna
Album: The Acrobat
Release Date: February 27, 2026 (single); April 10, 2026 (album)

In Their Words: “There’s an underlying whisper in this song saying you don’t have to make yourself smaller anymore, and it is my greatest hope that someone hearing this could believe it’s true. I have been navigating a return to self season in my life and reclaiming the belief that I don’t have to contort myself to fit what anyone else needs. After losing my way for a while, this song felt like such an important anchor for this album. Writing this song through the lens of a character helped me to hold enough distance from myself to be able to write the truth, and name the quiet damage that comes from performing, instead of just being.

“Lori McKenna has been a compass influence for me and it’s an honor to have her singing on this song we wrote together. I love how she enters the recording on the line about the fortune teller with all her knowledge, because Lori has been that voice of wisdom for me for years through her songs. The honesty in her lyrics and the way her voice holds emotional tension has given me permission to explore that kind of vulnerability in my own writing. I’m grateful for our friendship, and for the opportunity to share a love for the craft of a song with someone I am still so inspired by.” – Tenille Townes

Photo Credit: Tenille Townes by Madison Rensing; Mac Cornish by Mandi Fountain.

Country Rocks,
Country Rules

Posted on by Shelby Williamson

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.

Ashley McBryde
Ashley McBryde

Ashley McBryde gets the year started off right with a soaring, anthemic new single. As you’ll see with “What If We Don’t,” Good Country and arena country aren’t mutually exclusive styles. Garage rock, country grit, and stadium-ready flair – McBryde is doing it better than almost anyone else out there.

Buck Meek
Buck Meek

Not your mamaw’s “Ring of Fire.” Big Thief’s Buck Meek launches his upcoming solo album, The Mirror, in just a couple of weeks. Its songs were grown where alternative, indie, folk, and country overlap, though each feels just outside of reach of any single one of those terms. Featuring Adrienne Lenker on BGVs, “Ring of Fire,” like Johnny’s classic by the same name, is about love and connection – but is perhaps the flipside of the Cash coin.

Emily Scott Robinson
Emily Scott Robinson

You can always trust the John Prine-founded Oh Boy Records to put out amazing music by generational songwriters. Emily Scott Robinson is certainly one. Her new album, Appalachia, embodies her heart-forward, community-minded approach to songcraft and musicmaking. Stand outs include “Hymn for the Unholy,” “The Time for Flowers,” the album’s title track “Appalachia,” and this lovely duet with John Paul White, “Cast Iron Heart.”

Read our recent interview with Emily Scott Robinson here.

Langhorne Slim
Langhorne Slim

Speaking of rock ‘n’ roll, our old pal Langhorne plugs in and turns up on his new album, The Dreamin’ Kind, which was produced by Greta Van Fleet’s Sam F. Kiszka. Slim’s personality – and the signature, charming touches that made us all fall in love with his music – is front and center on the new collection, however far into rockin’ territory he brings his Americana and folk sensibilities.

Find out more about The Dreamin’ Kind in our recent Cover Story interview.

Zach Top
Zach Top

He started as a bluegrass picker in a family band and a Keith Whitley and Tony Rice diehard. Now everyone’s favorite trad country revivalist is a GRAMMY Award winner. Top took home the trophy for Best Traditional Country Album for his sophomore release, Ain’t In It for My Health earlier this month. He’s the first awardee in the buzzed-about new category opposite Best Contemporary Country Album. Well deserved!

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Photo Credits: Ashley McBryde by Nathan Chapman; Buck Meek by Germaine Dunes; Emily Scott Robinson by Angelina Castillo; Langhorne Slim by Savannah Lauren; Zach Top by Getty Images for the Recording Academy.

You Gotta Hear This: New Music From Tony Trischka, Maoli, and More

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

So much new roots music to enjoy this week! From bluegrass to the Pacific Islands and back again.

Starting us off, artist and songwriter Ryan Dart debuts a new song, “Dirt Road Woman,” combining folk, country, and troubadour styles in a musical tribute to strong, empowered women. Below, Dart explains how the song arrived quickly, “like it downloaded straight from the muse.” For a more tropical, seaside country flair, Maoli – who was born and raised in Hawaii – offers a brand new single today, too. “Some Are Just Better” is a track we’ll be returning to plenty this spring and summer, as it celebrates those good, dreamy days that are almost too perfect to believe.

In bluegrass, Lonesome River Band lean into their moniker with a new track, “There Where the River Rolls Around,” written by their longtime friend and songwriting collaborator Billy Smith. Mild and old-timey with lush low-tuned banjo and a laid-back groove, it’s a song about home, homesickness, and place – all perfect topics for ‘grassy explorations. Banjo great Tony Trischka is on his way to a new album, Earl Jam 2, so he’s dropping off a new music video released earlier this week. “Red River Valley” features Molly Tuttle on lead vocal and guitar with Bronwyn Keith-Hynes, Sam Bush, and Mark Schatz filling out the band. We can’t wait for more from the second round of Earl Jam. And young mandolinist phenom Wyatt Ellis launched a new video this week featuring a bunch of all stars, too. “West Dakota Rose” is a cinematic instrumental tune centered on Ellis’s virtuosic playing and featuring Christopher Henry joining on guitar. In the official music video, Ellis strolls around a cabin porch while picking through the tune with an excellent slate of pickers – and a tasty twin fiddle break.

Meanwhile, the Montvales offer an old-timey track of their own, “Carolina,” out today in anticipation of their upcoming March album, Path of Totality. While it certainly sounds old-timey, this is a song rooted in the present, heels dug in against late stage capitalism and the rampant woes of our current day-to-day. Also, singer-songwriter Jack McKeon gives us a sneak listen at his new song, “Kid Like Me,” a sort of sonic bridge from his last album, Talking to Strangers, to his next – which is set for release in July. Written with Theo MacMillan and inspired partially by Tim O’Brien, the track began much more bluegrassy than it ended up after reaching the studio.

Finally, Minneapolis, Minnesota’s Roe Family Singers speak truth to power and bring each of us into their communities and neighborhoods with a chilling new folk song, “Blacked-Out Ford.” Living in Minneapolis in 2025 and 2026 means living on the frontlines of fascism, kidnappings, and government overreach, with the Roes and their friends watching chilling federal SUVs surveil their streets and neighborhoods, tearing families apart and violating human rights. The Roe Family Singers highlight ICE’s murders and unlawful actions in song, calling us all to join them in action and solidarity.

We always love sharing new music with you all every Friday, but this one is especially high quality. Enjoy! ‘Cause You Gotta Hear This…

Ryan Dart, “Dirt Road Woman”

Artist: Ryan Dart
Hometown: Boulder, Colorado
Song: “Dirt Road Woman”
Album: If Love Don’t Break You
Release Date: February 20, 2026 (single); May 1, 2026 (album)

In Their Words: “I wrote this song about falling in love with a powerful woman and the ‘love bubble’ phase of a relationship – how the outside world just fades away. I know some men may not be comfortable with powerful women, but I think there are plenty of us who are attracted to an empowered, strong woman who also embodies the sacred feminine. It’s incredibly compelling and I wouldn’t want anything else.

“You’ve got to ride the bad horses before you recognize the good ones. I set out to write a love song that felt like a cousin to Jason Isbell’s ‘Cover Me Up’ – something that balances raw, real emotion without ever feeling cheesy. This one came fast, like it downloaded straight from the muse, born of pure feeling. I hope it resonates with listeners the way it does with me.” – Ryan Dart

Wyatt Ellis, “West Dakota Rose”

Artist: Wyatt Ellis
Hometown: Maryville, Tennessee
Song: “West Dakota Rose”
Release Date: February 6, 2026 (single); February 19, 2026 (video)
Label: Knee High Records

In Their Words: “Getting to shoot the music video for ‘West Dakota Rose’ was just one of those days you don’t really forget. The tune already feels like it tells a story without words, so being able to stand in a place that matched that feeling made it even more real. Joseph Cash has directed and filmed all of my music videos so far, and he always makes it an adventure. It’s like showing up not totally sure what kind of wild idea he’s going to have, but somehow it always comes together even better than I could’ve imagined.” – Wyatt Ellis

Performer Credits:
Wyatt Ellis – Mandolin
Christopher Henry – Guitar
Julia Claire Eversole – Bass
Kyle Tuttle – Banjo
Noah Goebel – Fiddle
Christian Ward – Fiddle

Video Credits: Joseph Cash, director, director of photography, editor. Kitt Fresa, gaffer. 

Lonesome River Band, “There Where the River Rolls Around”

Artist: Lonesome River Band
Hometown: Floyd, Virginia
Song: “There Where The River Rolls Around”
Release Date: February 20, 2026
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “We got this song for our long time songwriting friend Billy Smith (‘Hobo Blues,’ ‘Tears In My Tracks,’ ‘Crazy Heart,’ among others). As we listened to the song one late night going down the road in the bus, the arrangement just fell into place and we began working on it. A haunting song about leaving home searching for more and longing to be back. Thanks, Billy!” – Sammy Shelor

“The River [in the song] is Haw River in Rockingham County, North Carolina. I always believed that I would make it big playing music and writing songs in Nashville and go back there. I moved here with my brother Terry (the Grascals) and cousin Alan O’Byrant of the Nashville Bluegrass Band. 52 years later, I’m still here, with three kids from two marriages. But I always wanted to return ‘There Where The River Rolls Around’ and it always touches my heart when I hear it sung. Bless Sammy Shelor and the Lonesome River Band for recording that one and 8 other of my songs, including ‘Crazy Heart’ and ‘Hobo Blues.'” – Billy Smith, songwriter

Track Credits:
Sammy Shelor – Banjo
Jesse Smathers – Acoustic guitar, harmony vocal
Mike Hartgrove – Fiddle
Adam Miller – Mandolin, lead vocal
Kameron Keller – Upright bass
Rod Riley – Electric guitar

Maoli, “Some Are Just Better”

Artist: Maoli
Hometown: Haiku, Maui, Hawaii
Song: “Some Are Just Better”
Album: Maoli Music Overload – MMO 3
Release Date: February 20, 2026 (single)
Label: ONErpm

In Their Words: “I’ve been waiting to release this since the day we wrote it. It was my first time writing in Nashville and I was so excited to collaborate with Mikey Reeves and Rob Snyder. I love the horns, the feel, and the lyrics – I’m so proud of how it all came to life.

“We all have days that stand out – not just good days, but the kind where everything falls into place and just feels right. The kind of day you know you’ll look back on and smile about for years. It’s about capturing that feeling. You can’t relive a day once it’s gone, but music has a way of taking you back – even if it’s just for a few minutes.” – Maoli

Jack McKeon, “Kid Like Me”

Artist: Jack McKeon
Hometown: Chatham, New York
Song: “Kid Like Me”
Album: Every Once in a While
Release Date: February 27, 2026 (single); July 3, 2026 (album)

In Their Words: “‘Kid Like Me’ began its life as the ‘most bluegrass’ sounding song in the bunch before I went into the studio. Written with Theo MacMillan, we talked a lot about parenting, being an older sibling, and trying to make sense of a world that’s always in flux. Theo’s son was about to be born and I was reflecting on watching my younger sister begin to reach adulthood and face real and more challenging problems. Musically, we spent most of the writing session talking about Tim O’Brien and wrote ‘Kid Like Me’ at a faster tempo that we thought would fit with Tim’s Odd Man In era. Once we were in the studio, it was Casey Campbell and Seth Taylor who turned the recording in a more ambient direction, hinging on Casey’s extended mandolin intro that sets the tone for the rest of the song. I wanted to lead my new project off with ‘Kid Like Me’ as it is reminiscent of the sounds and themes of my debut album Talking to Strangers, but breaks new ground for my production as it features Mellotron, drums, and electric guitar as well.” – Jack McKeon

Track Credits:
Jack McKeon – Acoustic guitar, vocal, songwriter, producer
Seth Taylor – Acoustic guitar, electric guitar
Casey Campbell – Mandolin
Vickie Vaughn – Bass
Josh Hunt – Drums
Phillippe Bronchtein – Keys
Melissa Erin – BGVs

The Montvales, “Carolina”

Artist: The Montvales
Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio
Song: “Carolina”
Album: Path of Totality
Release Date: February 18, 2026 (single); March 20, 2026 (album)
Label: Free Dirt Records

In Their Words: “‘Carolina’ is an old timey song that is firmly situated in late stage capitalism. I called upon the steadfast, rooted sounds of home when I was writing this one. It brings those old sounds forth into this uncertain era and makes a vow: even when there seems to be no path forward, we’ll find a way.” – Sally Buice

Roe Family Singers, “Blacked-Out Ford”

Artist: Roe Family Singers
Hometown: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Song: “Blacked-Out Ford”
Album: Light & Hope & Roses
Release Date: February 2, 2026 (single)

In Their Words: “We wrote ‘Blacked-Out Ford’ about two weeks after Renee Good was murdered by ICE in our Minneapolis streets. Good’s murder, combined with the discovery that ICE is housed about six blocks from our house and has been seen circling our neighborhood, looking for people to abduct… that’s where this song came from. Our area has a large Muslim population, neighbors primarily from India and Pakistan, also Somalia and Ethiopia, so pretty soon every blacked-out SUV started to look like ICE sharks circling, and every parked truck looked like a prelude to a kidnapping. We debuted the song live at a mutual-aid benefit, and the benefit raised a ton of money; the next morning we woke up feeling proud of ourselves and empowered by the fact that we felt like we were using our art to fight the fascists. Then we got the news that Alex Pretti had just been murdered by ICE in our Minneapolis streets.” – Quillan Roe

Track Credits:
Kim Roe – Washboard, vocals
Quillan Roe – Guitar, vocals

Tony Trischka, “Red River Valley” Featuring Molly Tuttle

Artist: Tony Trischka
Hometown: Fair Lawn, New Jersey
Song: “Red River Valley” featuring Molly Tuttle
Album: Earl Jam 2
Release Date: February 18, 2026 (video); March 13, 2026 (album)
Label: Down The Road Records

In Their Words: “I grew up listening to ‘Red River Valley’ and once I found Earl Scruggs and John Hartford playing it in one of their jams, I knew I had to put it on Earl Jam 2. Who better to sing it than Molly Tuttle? I’ve known Molly since she was a teen (when I thought she was just a solid Scruggs-style banjo player) and it’s been a joy seeing her career take off. She has the perfect voice for this tune and with the estimable talents of Bronwyn Keith-Hynes on fiddle, Sam Bush on mandolin, and Mark Schatz on bass, I knew we had something special. When we’d finished recording and I went back to listen to it the next day, I felt it needed just a little bit more of something. So I got in touch with Bronwyn (talk about careers taking off!) and she added beautiful harmony vocals. The very last vocal chorus melts my heart!” – Tony Trischka

Track Credits:
Tony Trischka – Banjo
Molly Tuttle – Guitar, vocals
Bronwyn Keith-Hynes – Fiddle, harmony vocals
Sam Bush – Mandolin
Mark Schatz – Bass

Photo Credit: Tony Trischka by Ali Hasbach; Maoli by Sean McGee.

Ole 60 Bring Their Smokestack Town to the World

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Pairing the slouchy charm of indie grunge with roots-rocking, small-town punk energy, Ole 60 spent 2025 becoming one of the most intriguing new acts in Americana.

With their debut album Smokestack Town – plus some fun-loving video content, huge opening-act performances with Zach Bryan, and first-time trips to Lollapalooza, the Ryman, the Grand Ole Opry, and more – the six-piece band came a long way from their blue-collar hometown of Hawesville, Kentucky. They even finished off the year with their biggest show yet, selling out their first-ever arena gig with an Owensboro homecoming. But there’s still more to do.

Inspired by a world of shift work and shitty luck, and powered by a rusty Toyota rolling on four bald tires, frontman and primary songwriter Jacob Ty Young fills his songs with vividly conflicted characters. Soaring garage-pop singalongs stand alongside sucker-punch ballads of screwing up and flaming out, each one struggling with the urge to get the hell out while still loving where you’re from. It’s a feeling anyone nursing big dreams in a small town will recognize, and Ole 60 shares it with a fresh voice.

In late January, Young told Good Country about the band’s quick rise and biggest year yet, while looking ahead to what comes next. There’s already a level-up tour underway and new music in the works. But Young pledges not to forget where they got their start – a pizza shop game room in a Smokestack Town.

In 2025, Ole 60 was out on tour, did big shows with Zach Bryan, made an Opry debut and released your first album. What’s it been like processing all that in the last month or so?

Jacob Ty Young: You try to take it in as it’s happening, but it’s a lot easier once you have some time to think. … I think it was definitely the best year we’ve had and now that we’ve had some time off, I’m eager to get back out and start touring again.

And I’ve been writing a lot. After putting out that first record, it was something that we’d never really done before. It was our first time making an album and we learned a lot of things and I think that everybody’s in the headspace that this next one’s going to be even better, so we’re working hard.

What was the common bond that brought you all together musically? You blend influences all the way from Smashing Pumpkins and Metallica to John Prine, right?

Five of the six of us are all from the same little small town in Kentucky, or bordering towns within about 30 minutes of each other. I kind of knew everybody before we started the band. We just got together and started jamming. I’m a huge Smashing Pumpkins fan. Most of the guys are big metalheads. They love Metallica, Black Sabbath, Primus, all that stuff. I think everybody bonded over just our love for rock music. There is obviously some country influence, but I never really considered it that. We were just a garage band, and it’s hard to not bond when you’re sitting there in a garage playing cover songs. The Pumpkins, Stone Temple Pilots, Black Crowes. It was that kind of grunge stuff that really glued us all together.

You can hear that still, and then there’s a rootsy folk side to it, too. When did you start writing songs?

I’ve been writing songs my whole life, but nothing ever really serious. I would write funny songs when I was in high school and I wrote a song about our basketball team one time, just as a parody thing. And I always really enjoyed playing guitar and being creative. I was into visual art and graphic design for a while. Then I kind of went through some stuff in my personal life and decided I wanted to sit down and write some songs about it. That ended up being the first EP [three twenty four]. That would’ve been 2023, I think. I always loved guys like John Prine and Bob Dylan and even Billy Corgan of the Pumpkins, just the uniqueness of the songwriting. I think for lyrics, I look to those guys, and then for the music we kind of look all over the place.

I hear there’s a pizza shop in there somewhere, right? We keep seeing pizza references in the socials and songs. Is the shop like an easter egg for you?

Yeah, I think so. I worked at a pizza restaurant in Hawesville, Kentucky, for about four years when I would come home from school. And then there’s another guy in the band, Ryan, his brother owned the pizza restaurant, so he worked there as well for years. When we first started practicing, rehearsing, and getting ready to go around playing bar gigs, we would rehearse in the back of Galaxy Pizza after close. We’d set up all our equipment back in the arcade section and jam until one in the morning. And then we got our bass player, Colby, and he had a garage, so we moved to his garage. But yeah, I grew up right next to Galaxy and it’s kind of a staple in our hometown, so we just try to let that side of us show through our content and all the visual side of stuff.

Tell me about putting the album together. Smokestack Town was one of my favorites of the year, so congratulations on how it came out. What did you want? I mean, creating a debut album is a pretty big moment. It might seem like an overwhelming task, so what were you going for?

We didn’t have a hardcore plan. I was just writing songs and I got six of ’em that I was really proud of. We went recorded and I was like, “Okay, I think this could be an album.” So I was writing as we were recording the album, and then the last song that I wrote was “Smokestack Town.” I was like, “That seems like a good name.”

I just wanted to push ourselves and try to do something different sonically than we had before. We got together with Jacquire King who produced it, and he’s one of the best of the best. He took my vision and ran with it and we’re very happy. We just wanted to put ourselves out there and let people in, see what kind of music we listen to.

That’s interesting, because it’s been presented as a concept album. But it sounds like you were building the concept as you went.

If it’s a concept album, it’s more so on the visual content side of things, because we’ve been putting out these little short videos of character acting. Taking the lead from the Foo Fighters.

Totally!

But there were just a lot of overarching themes in the record about home. Missing home, being homesick, being young. Plus that idea of small town, kind of dystopian … but not really.

Right, you wrote all these characters who are definitely small town people, with small town stories. But the thing I appreciate was they’re not stereotypical tailgate anthems or “I’m so country.” Nothing like that. Where were you coming from?

After I left Galaxy, I worked in an aluminum mill for a year and a half, and my dad works at the paper mill. Hawesville is a very industry-driven town. I think it’s different from your typical country town because it’s so labor-driven and everybody’s proud to be union and blue-collar. It’s less sitting on tailgates and drinking beer and more going to work a 16-hour shift and coming home and sleeping.

I wanted that to come through, because in country music it is a lot of sitting out in the boonies, drinking beer, and sitting on a tailgate. But I wanted to write my experience growing up in my little country town. There’s nothing to do, so we just ran around all the time and went to all these different places and got into trouble there. I wanted to write about that side of stuff, and less about the country stuff.

Being a new band coming into the indie and roots music scene, did it feel like there’s a lot of opportunity and energy out there?

Everything’s been so great. We kind of blew up on social media and I don’t know if any of us were ready for that to happen, but it did. I think that the reception’s been great. We went out and started headlining shows fairly early and we were selling them out. That’s a great feeling, because when you do blow up like that on social media, it’s hard to really put a gauge on what that means – until you go out and play a headline show and you see the crowd and they’re singing, and you go play a festival with all these big names and it’s your first time out there, and the crowd’s into it. And that’s kind of how it was.

True, and you finished last year with a huge statement in Owensboro, right? Hometown show, New Year’s Eve. Your first arena show and you sold it out. What was the feeling like on stage?

It was weird because it was both the most nervous I’ve ever been and the most comfortable I’ve ever been. You look out in the crowd, you see people you know, and you don’t get that a whole lot when you’re touring. It was just super cool. I got to sleep at the house I grew up in. The whole day just felt good. It was nice to be home and have family coming in and out and friends. Just the perfect way to end the year.

Y’all cleaned up nicely in the tuxedos. Did you put some extra polish on the performance, too?

Yeah, I thought it was New Year’s, we might as well get some tuxedos. I thought everybody looked nice. I want to do it more often. I dunno how the other guys feel about it. We’ll see.

@ole60music🗣️ said it don’t hurt and I called your bluff♬ original sound – Ole 60

You’re getting back on the road for the Smokestack Town Tour this winter. What’s everybody looking forward to? What’s the vibe?

The new year feels like a fresh start to change the show and really put a lot of thought into what we want to do with it. We’ve got some new production stuff, new lighting, and I’m really excited for everybody to see it. I think everybody just wants to go out there and every night needs to be the best show we’ve ever played. We’re playing bigger shows this year and we’re super excited, super grateful.

Earlier you said you’ve been writing, can you give us a hint about what’s been inspiring lately?

Yeah, I’ve been listening to a lot to indie rock, and what I listen to comes through in what I write. So definitely it sounds like Ole 60, but it’s new, and I’m still kind of figuring it out. But I’m really excited that the direction everything’s headed. I don’t have any idea about timelines for new music, but I have been writing a lot and I’m really excited about all of it.

Jacob, thank you for the time. I’ll leave you with the big picture – I always ask people what they hope listeners take away from their work. So what’s that look like to you?

I just hope that our story can be inspiring to others through the fact that we came from a town where after you graduate, you either go to college, you go to the military, or work in a factory, and that’s your options. And there’s always other options out there. You just got to put your head down, work hard and good things will come.

Photo Credit: Wales Toney

The Many Perspectives of Rissi Palmer

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Rissi Palmer is putting her lifelong love of country music into Perspectives, her first project in six years. With three tracks produced by Shannon Sanders and a fourth by Dan Knobler, the new EP places Palmer back in the artist spotlight after a period of time focused on personal and professional evolution.

Palmer also hosts an Apple Music country radio show, Color Me Country, which spotlights original music from artists of color. But there’s even more to the story. She’s collaborated on a children’s book titled Color Me Country: A Celebration of Black Women Who Shaped Country Music and she’s also wrapped a memorable tour called The Trailblazing Women of Country, where she performed some of the best-loved songs from Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, and Dolly Parton. Off the stage, she’s devoted more time to her two daughters following her divorce, while still ramping up to the release of Perspectives.

Though she’s based in Durham, North Carolina, Palmer caught up with Good Country in Belfast, Northern Ireland, during the Your Roots Are Showing conference. At the event’s opening night concert, she sang “Old Black Southern Woman,” a heartfelt ballad that touches on the loss of her mother when Palmer was just seven years old. Perspectives also offers a cover of the SteelDrivers’ “Can You Run?” as well as an original song titled “Good For Me” (about diving back into the dating pool) and a rendition of a Loretta Lynn classic, “Somebody Somewhere.”

“All these things came together, and Shannon so graciously decided to be a part of this with me,” Palmer recalls. “He said, ‘Well, two of these songs sound very bluegrassy. What if we just did the whole project like that?’ I was like, ‘That’s kind of dope,’ because I hadn’t done anything like that. And again, perspectives. Two Black musicians, making this very bluegrassy, but still very soulful, project. And I decided midway through that we’re going to call it Perspectives.”

What was on your mind as “Old Black Southern Woman” was taking shape?

Rissi Palmer: I wrote that with Kyshona, and that was our first time writing together. Kyshona has a way of getting straight to the heart of whatever it is that you’re talking about. I had the idea for the chorus, the “ooh-ooooh” thing, in my head, and I hadn’t really started writing anything. So, we sat down and we started talking. When you go to her house, she’s got all these really cool plants from her mom and her grandma. We talked about that, and I wanted to write something that paid homage to my mother but also acknowledged all the other women that came in and helped raise me.

It’s a universal thing, too. Everybody thinks of getting older as really bad, and I don’t know what I thought my 40s were going to be like, when I was in my 20s. I honestly don’t know, but I don’t feel old! [Laughs] I think I thought 40 was going to feel different, but 40 actually feels just like a creakier 25! And I see the blessing in it. I feel really lucky to be here, because I outlived [my mother] and I have babies now. I just wanted to write something that says it’s OK to get old. It’s actually really cool to be able to get old and to see the fruits of your work.

I think the title kind of throws people off because they’re like, “Oh, this is a song about some Black people.” But it’s actually about getting to be old, seeing the blessing and good in that, and making the most of it.

When you sing that song now, it gives you a chance to talk about your mom and share her memory. Is that extra special for you?

Yeah. It was hard, I’ll be honest. The first few times that I sang it were really hard and I would cry. I’m starting not to cry when I sing it. Especially when we get to the lyric, “Every curse my family claimed ends with me.” That’s always where it got hard. You don’t realize how hard it is to overcome and not repeat mistakes.

Was it a dream for you as a kid to become a singer?

I’ve always known. I don’t know how, but I’ve always known that this is what I wanted to do. In that way, I’m very lucky. It was never, “Maybe I should be…” I would say that I was gonna do other stuff, just to make my parents happy, because I figured that they were probably really scared about me wanting to be a singer. So, I was like, “I’ll be a lawyer.” They’ve got a lawyer. My brother is a lawyer, so they got one. So, we’re good. [Laughs]

Now I did not always want to be a country singer. I wanted to be a singer and I wanted to write songs. I knew the kind of songs that I wanted to do, but I didn’t call it that. That didn’t become clear to me until I met my first managers, and then that was when I realized, “Yeah, I guess that is what I want to do.”

Is bluegrass an influence for you?

I like bluegrass! I’m a Rhonda Vincent fan and I’ve always been an Alison Krauss fan. And on Jon Randall’s first record he has this really cool song with Vince Gill called “My Life.” That’s one of my favorite records, by the way. It’s called Walking Among the Living.

I’ve always been a fan. I’ve always listened. I’ve always had those things on my playlist. I just never thought of myself as that, because there’s a very distinct vocal style. There’s a very distinct cadence in which they’re singing. A lot of the people on the show last night [at Your Roots Are Showing] were just brilliant bluegrass singers, and I never thought of myself that way because I can’t do that. Like, that’s not what I do. I didn’t really think of it as something that I could do. I used to write stuff like that all the time and I tried to give it to other people. But it was Shannon – Shannon was the push. Shannon was like, “Let’s do this.”

What was the Trailblazing Women of Country tour like?

It’s one of my favorite things that I’ve ever done. It was an all-female band and it was myself and Kristina Train, who’s a brilliant singer, as the two leads. We split the show in half, usually there was an intermission between Kristina and me, and we sang two songs together. You know how it is to be a fan, but you don’t necessarily know everything by a person? Patsy, I knew. For Patsy, I didn’t even have to study, because I knew all those songs. Most of my Dolly stuff I knew, but there’s a lot of words in “Coat of Many Colors”! And then Loretta, I’ll be perfectly honest, I had not gone super deep into Loretta’s catalog, so that was fun. That was the one that I needed the most work.

And I loved it! We did mostly theaters. I played in places I never went before. I went to Alaska. We did Wyoming – and you haven’t lived until you’ve driven across Wyoming! It’s just space! It’s wild! With the audiences, it was really funny how they varied. Sometimes we would make jokes, and sometimes people would say things to me. Like, someone asked me once, “Where’s your blonde wig?” when we got to the Dolly part. And I was just like, “Did you ask Kristina that?” They didn’t say anything, and I was like, “Girl, why would I cover up my fabulous hair?” and everybody started laughing.

You know, we got some weird comments. There were some people that (gasps) when I walked out. And afterwards, people would say really kind things. I never had anything rude said to me. But I did notice the [look of surprise] at first. It was good for me. It reminded me about why I love country music. I think I needed that, because you spend so much time, like with Color Me Country, talking about what’s wrong with the industry and talking about ways that we’ve been slighted or ignored. Then you lose sight of why you even started this in the first place, and that was why. It’s because of those songs. It’s because of those women. It’s because of the connection that the audience had with that music.

I can’t tell you how many people came up and told me stories. I met one woman who actually saw Patsy Cline performing on the bed of a truck when she was a kid. And I was just like, “That’s the most amazing thing I’ve ever heard before.” That’s country music.

You’ve got a lot of things coming up. Where would you like this new music to take you?

That’s a great question. I put so much into other facets of my career for the last few years. I put a lot into my children, because of our changing family situation, and just wanting to be there for them. At the same time, I was wanting to experience the career wave that I was having and trying to balance that. So, my own music took a backseat. I started feeling like, “I think people forget that I sing.” And really what I’m saying is, “I think I forgot that I sing,”

I was still doing shows, and still doing things in between, but it was like, “I don’t want everybody to forget why I’m here.” Really I’m saying, “I don’t want to forget why I’m here.” The Trailblazing Women of Country really cemented that for me, especially the “country” part. I’ve been experimenting and trying different things – and there is a project that comes later – but I wanted to do this. I felt like this was a really important statement to make, like, “This is why she talks so much shit.” [Laughs] Because this is where I started and this is what I do.

Photo Credit: Dire Image

The Working Songwriter: Ray Fulcher

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Welcome to The Working Songwriter, the show where today’s best songwriters come to talk shop. Each episode we host a distinguished guest and we ask them to go deep on their inspiration, their process, and the general ups and downs of making a life in music. Whether you’re a grizzled veteran picking out custom chrome trim for your tour bus or a scrappy upstart, trying to determine whether your Toyota Tercel can make it through a three thousand mile tour, this is your show. Because, ultimately, it is what every writer seeks most. An ironclad excuse to put off actually writing.

Our guest this week hails from Harlem, Georgia. Ray Fulcher is one of Nashville’s most sought-after modern country songwriters. He first broke through co-writing a string of chart-topping hits for Luke Combs – including the multi-platinum “When It Rains It Pours” – before stepping into the spotlight with his own recordings on his 2022 debut album, Spray Painted Line.

LISTEN: APPLE • SPOTIFY • LIBSYN • MP3

Fulcher has toured extensively, sharing stages with Luke Combs, Ashley McBryde, and Matt Stell, and his songs have been streamed hundreds of millions of times across platforms. He has written for artists like Riley Green and Cody Johnson, including Johnson’s recent hit “The Fall.” Billboard highlights his “unmistakable narrative grit,” while Holler celebrates his “clean-cut melodies and lived-in honesty.” Taste of Country notes his “ability to turn small-town details into widescreen emotion.” I caught up with him recently on The Working Songwriter to hear about his musical journey so far.

 

You Gotta Hear This: New Music From Foy Vance, Rissi Palmer, and More

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

We have new music for you, as always, to herald the end of the week and beginning of the weekend. You Gotta Hear This!

From just outside of Washington, D.C., singer-songwriter Connor Daly releases a new single today, “Echoes of Midnight.” An Americana “fast waltz” with a melancholy tinge, the track is clean but gritty. Daly thinks it’s the best song in his catalog to crank through a loudspeaker, and we agree. A longtime friend of BGS and Good Country now, Rissi Palmer releases her brand new EP Perspectives today, so we’re celebrating by sharing a new song from that collection, “Good to Me.” Written with Shannon Sanders and Hilton Wright II, the song finds Palmer much more assured in what she wants and needs from a life partner than she was in her 20s. (Stay tuned for an upcoming interview with Palmer about the EP, coming next week right here on BGS.)

Also in a country space, roots music renaissance man Jim Lauderdale announced a new upcoming album today, Country Super Hits Volume 2. He certainly has plenty of “super hits” to celebrate; we’re kicking off the countdown to the new LP by sharing “Everybody’s Got A Problem.” There’s a kernel of truth in that hook somewhere, isn’t there? Relatable, charming, and effortlessly traditional country, it’s another Lauderdale banger. Then, from across the Atlantic, Foy Vance launched a brand new, homemade music video earlier this week for “Hi, I’m The Preacher’s Son.” With sonics gleaned from the intersection of folk and outlaw, the song is well matched by the trippy and fun video that combines animation, stop motion, and many other forms and styles into a unique visual journey. His dad was a preacher and fond of a parable; the track and video suit their inspiration perfectly.

Don’t miss Bryan Sutton unveiling another tune from his upcoming duets album, as well. This time he’s partnered with fellow guitar picker Jake Stargel on an acrobatic and oftentimes jaw-dropping rendition of the popular fiddle tune-guitar instrumental “Crazy Creek.” These are two of the most personality-rich players and stylist on six strings, doing what they do best. Each single from the album, From Roots to Branches, has been stellar – this latest outing continues that trend.

There’s plenty to enjoy below! Scroll to listen, ’cause You Gotta Hear This…

Connor Daly, “Echoes of Midnight”

Artist: Connor Daly
Hometown: Ashburn, Virginia
Song: “Echoes of Midnight”
Release Date: February 6, 2026

In Their Words: “As soon as I started writing the first pieces of ‘Echoes of Midnight,’ I knew exactly what kind of production I wanted for the song. Going into the studio with David Dorn at Farmland Studios in Nashville, it didn’t take long for him to understand the vision. Big drums, wide acoustic guitar arrangements, and energy pushing through every line. It’s one of those songs that was clearly meant to be played live and I knew I needed to hear it fully take shape in the studio. Lyrically, ‘Echoes of Midnight’ captures a very now-or-never feeling of young love that has always stood out in my catalog. If I could choose any of my songs to play through a loudspeaker, this would be it.” – Connor Daly

Track Credits:
David Dorn – Keys
Shaun Richardson – Acoustic guitar
Tim Denbo – Electric bass
Dave Racine – Drums
Justin Ostrander – Electric guitar
Connor Daly Steggerda – Songwriter, vocals

Jim Lauderdale, “Everybody’s Got A Problem”

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Artist: Jim Lauderdale
Hometown: Troutman, North Carolina
Song: “Everybody’s Got A Problem”
Album: Country Super Hits Volume 2
Release Date: February 6, 2026 (single); March 27, 2026 (album)

In Their Words: “This song relates to the common experience of going through difficult times and that very few of us are immune to that; it’s one thing we all have in common.” – Jim Lauderdale

Rissi Palmer, “Good to Me”

Artist: Rissi Palmer
Hometown: Durham, North Carolina
Song: “Good to Me”
Album: Perspectives (EP)
Release Date: February 6, 2026

In Their Words: “I started this song with Hilton Wright II and completed it with Shannon Sanders (producer of the project). I sat on this chorus for three years, in the midst of a divorce, not sure what I wanted to say. On this side of things, I’m a bit more clear about what I want from a partner. The things that 29-year-old Rissi wanted are very different from what 44-year-old Rissi wants. We had a really good time writing this…” – Rissi Palmer

Bryan Sutton, “Crazy Creek” featuring Jake Stargel

Artist: Bryan Sutton
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Crazy Creek” featuring Jake Stargel
Album: From Roots to Branches
Release Date: February 6, 2026 (single)
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “Ever since Jake Stargel came on the scene, I’ve been fascinated and inspired. I think his playing is continually creative and powerful. He was the one that actually suggested ‘Crazy Creek’ and part of my goal with this duets project was just to try to capture musical conversations with my friends. We definitely do that here with ‘Crazy Creek.'” – Bryan Sutton

Foy Vance, “Hi, I’m The Preacher’s Son”

Artist: Foy Vance
Hometown: Bangor, Northern Ireland
Song: “Hi, I’m The Preacher’s Son”
Album: The Wake
Release Date: February 4, 2026 (video); March 13, 2026 (album)
Label: Rounder Records

In Their Words: “Being a preacher, my Dad was fond of a fable. Parables and philosophies poured out of him on a good day. I couldn’t fully appreciate them at the time, but I would learn to cling to the little wisdoms he shared. So much of him has influenced what I do. Seeking ways to say something concisely.

“I’m glad of that influence. I am also glad to be free of any certainty that gives someone the desire to be a preacher. Even if I felt certain about whatever God might be, I reckon the desire to become a preacher should never allow you to become one!” – Foy Vance

Photo Credit: Foy Vance by Gregg Houston; Rissi Palmer by Dire Image.

Kashus Culpepper Dreams Big on Act I

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Elton John described him as “if Bill Withers made country music,” but for Kashus Culpepper that only scratches the surface of his unique sound, the multitudes of which are displayed in full force on his full-length debut Act I, which was released January 23.

Growing up in Alexander City, Alabama, the singer was always around music, whether it be in church or in the car, but aspirations for a career performing didn’t materialize for the former firefighter and EMT until he found himself stationed in Spain as a Navy corpsman during the pandemic.

“I wasn’t much of a player, but I was listening to so much music growing up,” recalls Culpepper. “I had headphones on all day, even at school, which caused me to get in trouble quite a bit. I would’ve loved to play back then too, but garage bands weren’t really a thing in our town when I was growing up. If they were, I would’ve tried jumping in with folks in a flash.”

During his period of isolation abroad, Culpepper was gifted a guitar, leading him to learn how to play and to eventually post cover songs online. After leaving the Navy in 2022, he returned stateside and began booking cover act shows at honky-tonks and dive bars across the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Although he immediately loved what he was doing, he also noticed that only playing other people’s material would have a short shelf life.

“Once I realized the cover thing would run its course, I knew in order to make a career in music that I needed to start writing my own songs,” he explains. “For so long the thought of writing my own songs and having people sing them back to me was just a silly dream, but now, less than three years later, I’m releasing an 18-track album I helped write the entirety of.”

Ranging from country to blues, rock and roll, pop, and soul, Act I is a full-on musical onslaught that caps off an amazing five-year journey for Culpepper, setting the stage for a continued meteoric rise in the years to come. On the album he’s joined by fellow stars-on-the-rise Marcus King (“Southern Man”) and Sierra Ferrell (“Broken Wing Bird”). But where the compilation really shines is on the tracks in between, like “Alabama Beauty Queen” and “Break Like Me,” that see Culpepper not only pouring his heart out, but doing so with catchy hooks and differentiating styles while remaining fully authentic to who he is – a Southern man making Southern music.

Less than two weeks before Act I’s arrival, Culpepper spoke with Good Country over the phone about his love for Tyler Childers, the importance of co-writing all the album’s material, what it was like earning the support of Samuel L. Jackson, how his collaboration with Sierra Ferrell on “Broken Wing Bird” came about, and more.

How far back do the origins of these 18 songs go? Are most from those early days of writing in 2023 or more recently as you’ve refined your voice?

Kashus Culpepper: Well, the ones that’s already been out [as singles], they’re definitely from around the same time that I was starting out writing. But a lot of songs that haven’t been put out yet, aside from “In Her Eyes” and “Mean To Me,” are all a little more recent.

In reality, none of these songs are that old if you didn’t start writing until 2023!

Exactly! When you think about it, none of these are that old. There’s so many artists who’ve been holding on to songs for years and years – like Chris Stapleton, who just won a GRAMMY for “White Horse” over a decade after first writing it.

Why was it important for you to have a hand in writing all 18 of these songs?

I’m all about developing myself as a songwriter, because it’s something that I can do for the rest of my life even after all the performance stuff is done. Songwriting is something that I truly believe in and love, so I want to be the best at it that I possibly can be. And to be the best at what you’re trying to do, you have to do it all the time and you have to write with people that are way better than you. That’s what I’ve been able to do with this record. I’ve been writing with people that are way better at writing than me. It’s been amazing.

The record is called Act I. Does that mean it’s part of a larger body of music to come?

At the moment, I don’t really know. I called it Act I not as an introduction to who I am, but because I’m a big movie guy. I love theater, movies, dramatics, all of it.

With that in mind, I know you had a run-in with A-list movie star and one of your biggest heroes, Samuel L. Jackson. What was that like?

Samuel L. Jackson is one of my favorite actors of all time. I got a connection with him when “After Me?” was coming out. It definitely makes the world feel a lot smaller when some of your favorite actors or your favorite artists know who you are. A lot of times growing up you think you will never be in connection with your idols, so it really was a humbling experience. It made me realize that anything is possible.

If you have a dream, you can do it. If one day you want to talk to Oprah Winfrey, you can. Don’t take your foot off the pedal just yet!

Has that one happened for you?

No, I have not talked to Oprah Winfrey, but I would like to! And you get a car! And you get a car! [Laughs]

With regard to “After Me?,” wasn’t that one of your first original songs to gain traction online?

My first big song on socials was “Who Hurt You,” but following that I posted a clip of “After Me?” and everything just went crazy. I’m really glad I put it up on socials after writing it with my boy Mark Addison. We didn’t think anything of it at the time – we were just writing. It’s been insane seeing what the song has turned into since then, especially live.

That’s another thing – it’s been cool to see all the new songs develop their own personality with the crowd. For a while, “After Me?” was people’s favorite song, but now it’s been overthrown by some of the newer ones, which I like because it tells me that I’m continuing to write new songs that people want to hear.

Was it always your vision for your debut project to be this massive or did it unknowingly balloon to 18 songs while in the studio?

I think it was the fact that I had so many great songs in my brain that showed the timestamp of a point in my music career and what I’m doing as an artist. Also, I didn’t want to hold back songs that I thought would be cool for my next project – I needed to put them out right now. When people listen to it, I want them to know exactly what was in my head at the moment I was creating it. That way it and everything I do that comes after it can always stand on its own.

You mentioning a desire to curate a specific moment in time reminds me of the intro track that kicks off Act I, where you’re playing the role of a radio DJ on KC 97 FM. Was that intentional on your part?

That’s exactly where I was trying to go with it. I was just trying to show people what it’s like in my head and trying to transport them to a new world as soon as the record starts. If you listen to it start to finish it feels like a radio station tailored by me. My goal is to bring listeners into my world. I hope people don’t skip it, because if they listen to it top to bottom, they’ll understand. It’s like, “Okay, Kash is curating a playlist with all kinds of influences, because he is a man with different sides to him as a person and musically.” I don’t really care about this or that in terms of genre, so long as the song makes me feel something.

And who knows… maybe someday Apple Music or iHeartRadio will come calling and give you the keys to your own real-life KC 97 FM?!

Don’t tempt me! [Laughs] I would love to do something like that. I don’t have time for it right now, but I would make time!

@kashculpeppermusic Messed up kid- Tyler Childers #tylerchilders #countrymusic #fypシ ♬ original sound – Kashus Culpepper

I know the church was a large part of your early musical upbringing, but what role did the radio play in all of it, if any?

For sure. I don’t remember the name of the radio stations, but there was something about summertime in small town ‘Bama, driving around with the windows down that was so freeing. And country music has always given me that same type of feeling. At the same time, I have so many memories not only with country, but also with soul and pop records. I remember a time when I’d even go around singing along to Lady Gaga.

Then when I was in the military and I found out about guys like Tyler Childers, Sturgill Simpson, and Kolton Moore, they turned into my backroad jams and even went on to inspire me to eventually start writing songs myself.

Speaking of Tyler Childers, didn’t you have a moment with his song “Messed Up Kid”?

Yeah, that was one of the first ones that really started popping off for me. Since then I’ve also done “Lady May” – which got a good response, too. I just love Tyler’s music. He’s got one of the most soulful voices I’ve heard in a long time. It reminds me of people I was in church with. In a way, I feel like Tyler and I probably went to the same church growing up. I’ve just connected with his music so much. Not just Tyler, but a lot of other people in Kentucky, too, now that I think about it. One thing musicians from there have in common is they love singing from their soul and being authentic.

Since you were just speaking about soul, one of the most soulful songs on Act I from my perspective is “Break Me Like.” Mind telling me about it?

That song definitely draws from the fact that I am with someone that I should not be with, but it’s okay because we’re in this moment and I know what she’s gonna do to me and it’s fine since right now I need to be with somebody. “Break Like Me” started with that idea in mind, then I had these really weird chords that I came up with while writing with Grady [Block] and Hank [Compton] over at Big Loud. After fumbling around with the lyrics that I had in my head, I came up with something that had a real funky, low-fi kind of vibe. We wanted it to tell a story and be relatively heavy, but while giving it production worthy of cruising to and vibing out with.

What about “Broken Wing Bird” with Sierra Ferrell. How did you bring her aboard, and did you always envision the song as a duet?

I wrote that song with my producer, Brian Elmquist, and at the time wasn’t thinking about it as a duet. We’re both lovers of Willie Nelson and wanted a song that felt like you could be on your back porch and listen to it morning, afternoon, or night with a drink in hand and not have to think about it too much. It’s a song that makes you feel warm and feel at home, but it wasn’t until the production of it when we thought about doing it as a duet.

Once the idea got brought up, one of us made the comment that whoever it is, it would have to be someone that has a voice that feels like it’s not from this time. Eventually Sierra’s name came up and it was like a lightbulb going off. She’s literally the first person that I would want in the whole world to be on this record, but I wasn’t sure if she’d be available to do it. Once we got the green light my excitement went through the roof. I’m so proud that she’s on this record, because she’s an artist that I truly love. I’m hoping somewhere down the line we might have something in the works that’s a bit longer of a project too.

I (and most other people) would not be against that one bit!

Looking back over the past five years, what has your musical journey thus far and bringing Act I to life taught you about yourself?

For so long, I thought I didn’t belong in places, that I wasn’t able to do this or that. The biggest thing I’ve learned is to just dream big because you never know what could happen. You just have to believe in yourself and you can do anything, no matter how crazy it sounds. For the longest time, I didn’t have a dream of doing music because I just thought I couldn’t do it. I thought I wasn’t the kind of person to be singing songs on stage, but look at me now!

With you referencing dreaming big I have to ask, what’s next on your musical bucket list?

My goal is to just keep creating, growing as a songwriter and learning more about myself along the way. If I do that I feel like everything else will follow and I’ll keep growing as a songwriter and as a promoter.

Photo Credit: Cedrick Jones

See the Winners from the 2026 GRAMMY Awards

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

The 2026 GRAMMY Awards were handed out on February 1, 2026, by the Recording Academy at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California. Broadcast live on CBS, the primetime awards show is now viewable on demand on Paramount+. Earlier in the afternoon, the GRAMMY Premiere Ceremony, which was streamed via the GRAMMYs website and on YouTube, was held at the Peacock Theater, handing out dozens and dozens of additional awards across fields and categories.

Best Bluegrass Album was announced during the Premiere Ceremony. This year, nominees included Michael Cleveland & Jason Carter (Carter & Cleveland), Sierra Hull (A Tip Toe High Wire), Alison Krauss & Union Station (Arcadia), the SteelDrivers (Outrun), and Billy Strings (Highway Prayers). Strings took home the award, racking up his third gramophone in the category. While Hull, who was nominated in four categories, including Best Bluegrass Album, did not take home any GRAMMY Awards yesterday, she was featured during the Premiere Ceremony as a presenter and she made an appearance on the red carpet for the primetime awards show. Roots/bluegrass/folk supergroup I’m With Her – featuring Sarah Jarosz, Aoife O’Donovan, and Sara Watkins – were nominated and won twice, taking home the Best Folk Album trophy for Wild and Clear and Blue and the award for Best American Roots Song for “Ancient Light.”

Tyler Childers, who was nominated in four categories this year, received his first-ever GRAMMY Award for Best Country Song for “Bitin’ List,” a viral sensation from his critically acclaimed 2025 album, Snipe Hunter. The LP had been nominated for Best Contemporary Country Album – in one of the much buzzed-about split categories of Best Contemporary Country Album and Best Traditional Country Album – but the trophy went to Jelly Roll’s Beautifully Broken instead. In the other split category, upstart fan favorite Zach Top took home the Traditional Country honor for his sophomore release, Ain’t In It For My Health. It marks Top’s first GRAMMY Award.

Of course, beyond the Country & American Roots Music field, folk and roots music were represented in peak form across the many genres and categories of the 68th Annual GRAMMY Awards. Album of the Year was awarded to Bad Bunny’s DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS, one of the best roots projects of last year as selected by the BGS Class of 2025. From the Premiere Ceremony and Best Bluegrass Album to the primetime broadcast and Album of the Year, roots music is and always has been a keystone of the biggest night in music.

Below, find the complete list of winners (in bold) from the Country & American Roots Music field, plus select categories featuring roots musicians, artists, and projects from across the various other GRAMMY fields and categories.

Country & American Roots Music

Best Country Solo Performance

“Nose On The Grindstone” – Tyler Childers
“Good News” – Shaboozey
“Bad As I Used To Be” – Chris Stapleton
“I Never Lie” – Zach Top
“Somewhere Over Laredo” – Lainey Wilson

Best Country Duo/Group Performance

“A Song To Sing” – Miranda Lambert, Chris Stapleton
“Trailblazer” – Reba McEntire, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson
“Love Me Like You Used To Do” – Margo Price, Tyler Childers
“Amen” – Shaboozey, Jelly Roll
“Honky Tonk Hall Of Fame” – George Strait, Chris Stapleton

Best Country Song

“Bitin’ List” – Tyler Childers, songwriter. (Tyler Childers)
“Good News” –  Michael Ross Pollack, Sam Elliot Roman, Jacob Torrey, songwriters. (Shaboozey)
“I Never Lie” – Carson Chamberlain, Tim Nichols, Zach Top, songwriters. (Zach Top)
“Somewhere Over Laredo” – Andy Albert, Trannie Anderson, Dallas Wilson, Lainey Wilson, songwriters. (Lainey Wilson)
“A Song To Sing” – Jenee Fleenor, Jesse Frasure, Miranda Lambert, Chris Stapleton, songwriters. (Miranda Lambert, Chris Stapleton)

Best Traditional Country Album

Dollar A Day – Charley Crockett
American Romance – Lukas Nelson
Oh What A Beautiful World – Willie Nelson
Hard Headed Woman – Margo Price
Ain’t In It For My Health – Zach Top

Zach Top accepts the Best Traditional Country Album award for ‘Ain’t In It For My Health’ during the 68th GRAMMY Awards Premiere Ceremony. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for The Recording Academy.)

Best Contemporary Country Album

Patterns – Kelsea Ballerini
Snipe Hunter – Tyler Childers
Evangeline Vs. The Machine – Eric Church
Beautifully Broken – Jelly Roll
Postcards From Texas – Miranda Lambert

Best American Roots Performance

“LONELY AVENUE” – Jon Batiste, Featuring Randy Newman
“Ancient Light” – I’m With Her
“Crimson And Clay” – Jason Isbell
“Richmond On The James” – Alison Krauss & Union Station
“Beautiful Strangers” – Mavis Staples

Best Americana Performance

“Boom” – Sierra Hull
“Poison In My Well” – Maggie Rose, Grace Potter
“Godspeed” – Mavis Staples
“That’s Gonna Leave A Mark” – Molly Tuttle
“Horses” – Jesse Welles

Best American Roots Song

“Ancient Light” – Sarah Jarosz, Aoife O’Donovan, Sara Watkins, songwriters. (I’m With Her)
“BIG MONEY” – Jon Batiste, Mike Elizondo, Steve McEwan, songwriters. (Jon Batiste)
“Foxes In The Snow” – Jason Isbell, songwriter. (Jason Isbell)
“Middle” – Jesse Welles, songwriter. (Jesse Welles)
“Spitfire” – Sierra Hull, songwriter. (Sierra Hull)

Best Americana Album

BIG MONEY – Jon Batiste
Bloom – Larkin Poe
Last Leaf On The Tree – Willie Nelson
So Long Little Miss Sunshine – Molly Tuttle
Middle – Jesse Welles

Best Bluegrass Album

Carter & Cleveland – Michael Cleveland & Jason Carter
A Tip Toe High Wire – Sierra Hull
Arcadia – Alison Krauss & Union Station
Outrun – The SteelDrivers
Highway Prayers – Billy Strings

(L-R) Brandy Clark, Reba McEntire, and Lukas Nelson perform onstage during the 68th GRAMMY Awards. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for The Recording Academy.)

Best Traditional Blues Album

Ain’t Done With The Blues – Buddy Guy
Room On The Porch – Taj Mahal & Keb’ Mo’
One Hour Mama: The Blues Of Victoria Spivey – Maria Muldaur
Look Out Highway – Charlie Musselwhite
Young Fashioned Ways – Kenny Wayne Shepherd & Bobby Rush

Best Contemporary Blues Album

Breakthrough – Joe Bonamassa
Paper Doll – Samantha Fish
A Tribute To LJK – Eric Gales
Preacher Kids – Robert Randolph
Family – Southern Avenue

Best Folk Album

What Did The Blackbird Say To The Crow – Rhiannon Giddens & Justin Robinson
Crown Of Roses – Patty Griffin
Wild And Clear And Blue – I’m With Her
Foxes In The Snow – Jason Isbell
Under The Powerlines (April 24 – September 24) – Jesse Welles

Best Regional Roots Music Album

Live At Vaughan’s – Corey Henry & The Treme Funktet
For Fat Man – Preservation Brass & Preservation Hall Jazz Band
Church Of New Orleans – Kyle Roussel
Second Line Sunday – Trombone Shorty And New Breed Brass Band
A Tribute To The King Of Zydeco – Various Artists

Molly Tuttle walks the red carpet at the 68th GRAMMY Awards. (Photo by John Shearer/Getty Images for The Recording Academy.)

General Field

Producer of the Year (Non-Classical)

Dan Auerbach
Cirkut
Dijon
Blake Mills
Sounwave

Jazz, Traditional Pop, Contemporary Instrumental & Musical Theater

Best Jazz Performance

“Noble Rise” – Lakecia Benjamin, Featuring Immanuel Wilkins & Mark Whitfield
“Windows – Live” – Chick Corea, Christian McBride & Brian Blade
“Peace Of Mind / Dreams Come True” – Samara Joy
“Four” – Michael Mayo
“All Stars Lead To You – Live” –  Nicole Zuraitis, Dan Pugach, Tom Scott, Idan Morim, Keyon Harrold & Rachel Eckroth

Best Jazz Instrumental Album

Trilogy 3 (Live) – Chick Corea, Christian McBride & Brian Blade
Southern Nights – Sullivan Fortner, Featuring Peter Washington & Marcus Gilmore
Belonging – Branford Marsalis Quartet
Spirit Fall – John Patitucci, Featuring Chris Potter & Brian Blade
Fasten Up – Yellowjackets

Best Alternative Jazz Album

honey from a winter stone – Ambrose Akinmusire
Keys To The City Volume One – Robert Glasper
Ride into the Sun – Brad Mehldau
LIVE-ACTION – Nate Smith
Blues Blood – Immanuel Wilkins

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album

Wintersongs – Laila Biali
The Gift Of Love – Jennifer Hudson
Who Believes In Angels? – Elton John & Brandi Carlile
Harlequin – Lady Gaga
A Matter Of Time – Laufey
The Secret Of Life: Partners, Volume 2 – Barbra Streisand

Best Contemporary Instrumental Album

Brightside – ARKAI
Ones & Twos – Gerald Clayton
BEATrio – Béla Fleck, Edmar Castañeda, Antonio Sánchez
Just Us – Bob James & Dave Koz
Shayan – Charu Suri

Sierra Hull speaks on stage during the 68th GRAMMY Awards Premiere Ceremony. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for The Recording Academy.)

Gospel & Contemporary Christian Music

Best Roots Gospel Album

I Will Not Be Moved (Live) – The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir
Then Came The Morning – Gaither Vocal Band
Praise & Worship: More Than A Hollow Hallelujah – The Isaacs
Good Answers – Karen Peck & New River
Back To My Roots – Candi Staton

Latin, Global, Reggae & New Age, Ambient, or Chant

Best Música Mexicana Album (Including Tejano)

MALA MÍA – Fuerza Regida, Grupo Frontera
Y Lo Que Viene – Grupo Frontera
Sin Rodeos – Paola Jara
Palabra De To’s (Seca) – Carín León
Bobby Pulido & Friends Una Tuya Y Una Mía – Por La Puerta Grande (En Vivo) – Bobby Pulido

Best Global Music Performance

“EoO” – Bad Bunny
“Cantando en el Camino” – Ciro Hurtado
“JERUSALEMA” – Angélique Kidjo
“Inmigrante Y Que?” – Yeisy Rojas
“Shrini’s Dream (Live)” – Shakti
“Daybreak” – Anoushka Shankar, Featuring Alam Khan, Sarathy Korwar

Children’s, Comedy, Audio Books, Visual Media & Music Video/Film

Best Song Written For Visual Media

“As Alive As You Need Me To Be” [From TRON: Ares] – Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, songwriters. (Nine Inch Nails)
“Golden” [From KPop Demon Hunters] – EJAE & Mark Sonnenblick, songwriters. (HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, REI AMI)
“I Lied to You” [From Sinners] – Ludwig Göransson & Raphael Saadiq, songwriters. (Miles Caton)
“Never Too Late” [From Elton John: Never Too Late] – Brandi Carlile, Elton John, Bernie Taupin & Andrew Watt, songwriters. (Elton John, Brandi Carlile)
“Pale, Pale Moon” [From Sinners] – Ludwig Göransson & Brittany Howard, songwriters. (Jayme Lawson)
“Sinners” [From Sinners] – Leonard Denisenko, Rodarius Green, Travis Harrington, Tarkan Kozluklu, Kyris Mingo & Darius
Povilinus, songwriters. (Rod Wave)

Production, Engineering, Composition & Arrangement

Best Instrumental Composition

“First Snow” – Remy Le Boeuf, composer. (Nordkraft Big Band, Remy Le Boeuf & Danielle Wertz)
“Live Life This Day: Movement I” – Miho Hazama, composer. (Miho Hazama, Danish Radio Big Band & Danish National Symphony Orchestra)
“Lord, That’s A Long Way” – Sierra Hull, composer. (Sierra Hull)
“Opening” – Zain Effendi, composer. (Zain Effendi)
“Train To Emerald City” – John Powell & Stephen Schwartz, composers (John Powell & Stephen Schwartz)
“Why You Here / Before The Sun Went Down” – Ludwig Göransson, composer. (Ludwig Göransson, Featuring Miles Caton)

Photo Credit: All photos by Getty Images for the Recording Academy, courtesy of the Recording Academy. Photographer credits as marked.

Lead and Alternate Images: I’m With Her, (L to R) Sara Watkins, Aoife O’Donovan, and Sarah Jarosz, accept the GRAMMY for Best Folk Album. Shot by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for the Recording Academy.