Rebecca Porter
Rolls With the Punches

Rebecca Porter has earned some much-deserved praise in the past couple years as she has emerged on the national singer-songwriter scene. Following the release of her 2023 EP, Queen of the Local, she drew the eyes and ears of BGS and Good Country’s founder and was invited to perform at Mountain Stage. Not bad for an artist who had only released five songs total.

Now, however, Porter is back with a full-length album, Roll With The Punches, which released August 8. It’s a concept recording that introduces her life story as if it were a 1970s Western film. If that seems an unlikely concept for a Guam-born, Shenandoah Valley-raised singer-songwriter, Porter concedes that maybe it is – at least on the surface.

In her recent conversation with Good Country about the project, Porter talked about how the concept came together, why she thinks people assume her music is going to sound different than it does, and what she hopes listeners gain from tuning in.

Where did the concept for this album come from? Did you have the idea first, or did the songs sort of come together in this way that started to feel cinematic?

Rebecca Porter: Yeah, I had most of the songs written. Some of them I wasn’t playing out, though, because I wasn’t really sure where they fit or what their purpose was. I started writing “Roll with the Punches” and it felt like it went with some of these other songs. We hadn’t even started talking about recording an album. [But] when I put “Roll with the Punches” with these other songs, they all were autobiographical. I felt like they really could be pieced together in this concept and be brought to life through Western cinema.

I grew up watching spaghetti westerns with my stepdad and family, but [this theme] felt like a way to take control of a narrative that [people may not] see coming from a woman – a woman of color – the term itself, “roll with the punches,” turning that on its head with the record and the songs. [It’s about] not just going with the flow or with what’s said that I’m allowed to have and changing what that actually means for me.

I’m sure people ask you all the time about coming from your cultural heritage as a Southern Pacific Islander and growing up in Appalachia. What is identity to you? What’s your relationship with the concept of identity? Did that have anything to do with this album?

When I talk about the concept itself, I try to be intentional about saying that this is my interpretive lens of Western cinematography, because I’m certainly not an expert on Western cinematography. This is just something that I grew up watching and really loved and enjoyed but, like many things, I just didn’t see myself in. I very much loved what it brought about in the way that I connected with it.

Then, my mixed heritage: Being from Guam, having more Indigenous heritage, growing up in rural Virginia from a young age, my parents divorcing. I very physically represent my Pacific Islander heritage, but I’ve been raised in this rural Appalachian state.

I actually just did a radio interview and was talking about not understanding as a child, but understanding [better] as an adult, with the help of therapy, like, “What is my identity? Are there clear boundaries?” [It’s] like the analogy of the person spinning all the plates. There’s all these moving pieces and it’s complicated. There’s trauma involved. [I’m] embracing that I can be more than one thing. Therapy has really helped me take hold of two or more things to be true at once.

A personal struggle is [wondering,] “Am I a good representation of my ancestors, whoever that is?” You know, physically, I really identify and represent my Chamorro heritage, but I wasn’t raised in Guam. I was raised in the States … by my grandmother, who I have identity and connection struggles [with] at times. My mother and I have gone through a lot in our lifetime together and she’s a huge supporter of mine, but there are very big and real aspects of my life – and who I am as a person, [how] I experience the world – that she doesn’t understand. So then how do I deal with that and how do I process that?

You roll with the punches?

You know, I have to admit, as a white lady in Maine, I feel an obligation to underscore identity for the purpose of representation, but I also recognize that my ability to understand that question and how to word it is clunky at best.

I appreciate you asking. I mean, I’ve certainly been in spaces where people immediately think that I don’t belong or there’s this othering. And then I’ve been in spaces where I’m with people who will just come up and ask, “Why did you pick country music?” or “Why did you decide to do this and not this other kind of music – or your music?” It’s like… A) What does that mean? And B) I grew up in rural Virginia, so this is my music.

Let’s talk about the songs on this album, which are so fantastic. What I love about this album is that it does everything country music does. It’s speaking for the average everyday person on a working-class level – like “The Laundry Pile” and “Payday Loans.” But it also doesn’t get trope-y. I wonder if that is a happy accident, or if it’s something you worked really hard on with editing and crafting these songs.

Sometimes it’s a happy accident. With those songs, particularly, I tried to be really intentional about the things I was saying and how I was saying them. [I was] coming from a real place and personal experience with those things. Laundry is something I struggle with. The day I wrote that song, I had piles of laundry that needed to be done and, mentally, I could not get with the program. You have these things you need to do. They’re simple mundane tasks, you know. “Why is this such a big deal?” So I sat on the edge of the bed and I wrote this song.

In my mind, the topic of authenticity … bring[s] it back to identity. You know, people have questioned the authenticity of me singing country music or, you know, my relationship with [country]. You can hear these songs and feel and know that they’re real and they’re coming from a very real place, real experiences. I may not “look like I sing country music” to some people, but that isn’t where the authenticity comes from in my mind.

“Payday Loans” is the same. You know, payday loans were just part of my childhood. I was really struggling with finances as an adult. [I was stuck in] these cycles that I had learned as a young child – the weight of financial stability. I have a five-year-old and I was trying to reconcile how I talk about and deal with money or financial things in front of my son. … Payday loans were this big weight that I was aware of at a very young age. [I thought of] how terrible that entire system is, but then also how it affected me from that time into adulthood.

Listening to you talk about that as a sort of enculturation goes back to the topic of identity. Realizing what you grew up with, what you want to carry forward, what you want to hand to your children, and what you want to let go of.

Identity is all over this record. I didn’t hear it to that depth until you were just explaining payday loans, but it’s really there as a through line. Do you feel like that was a common thread in this album, tying everything together? Reckoning with what you have been handed and, and what you want to give?

One hundred percent. Roll with the punches. I don’t have to just take what I’ve been handed or allowed to have or been given. I’m finding ways that I can make changes for myself and for my son, or if I ever have more children. [I’m] able to break those cycles.

I want to go back to “The Laundry Pile.” I could be projecting, but it feels straight out of the Dolly Parton canon. It’s a small thing, but it’s also so big – literally and figuratively. You get to this line, “That shit ain’t getting put away.” It’s sort of a resignation, but it’s also empowering to be able to make a decision about it.

That makes the song feel bigger than, “Oh my God, I don’t want to do the laundry.” Was that what you were trying to figure out with the song? Or was it really like, “I’m going to write one for the laundry pile, because I don’t want to fold the laundry?”

It was intentional. I think, when I first started writing it, I [thought,] “This is kind of silly.” But you have to make a decision: Are you going to beat yourself up [about] laundry or not?

You know, you have to decide how you’re going to deal with the situation. The option isn’t just, “You have to get it done.” You can sidestep it or you can save it for another day.

What do you hope people walk away from this project with, once they’ve really dug into it?

I want people to see something that hits home for them, either on a musical level or through the lyrics. I want them to feel seen. I want them to know that everything’s going to be OK. There are ways that we all have the capacity to make changes in our lives. We don’t have to just deal with what we’ve been given and keep going with the flow. You might cause upset, whether it’s personally or externally, but you don’t have to accept what people are willing to give you, or what you’re surrounded by.

That certainly does not mean it’s easy to make changes, but I just want people to feel seen and feel, I guess, even the slightest sense of empowerment. There is something that can change even the smallest piece of their day or where they’re at in a relationship. That there’s some music out there [for them].


Photo Credit: Heather Goodloe

You Gotta Hear This: New Music From Rebecca Porter, Gena Britt, and More

This week, our collection of new music and premieres showcases cinematic stories, lush sounds, and the exact correct vibes all across the board.

Kicking us off, bluegrass banjo phenom Gena Britt is releasing her new single, “Goodbye to the Blues,” paying tribute to Lynn Morris as Britt and cohort get the blues and then gets them gone to a marching bluegrass beat. Fellow North Carolinian Aaron Burdett follows in a similar sonic space, painting a literal and metaphorical picture of spring and two little “Honeybees.” Don’t miss the track credits for both, as Britt and Burdett feature some incredible talents like John Meador, Kristin Scott Benson, Carley Arrowood, Jason Carter, and more on these cuts.

There’s excellent modern folk to be found below, as well. Sage & Aera – who you may know from WE DREAM DAWN – sing about freedom being found in surrender on “Let It Rain,” a song with a deep and broad approach to indie string folk. Singer-songwriter Sam Robbins releases his new album today and its title track, which is included here, is “So Much I Still Don’t See,” a sort of troubadour story song that’s observational and political but, most notably, is compassionate.

And you won’t want to miss Rebecca Porter’s new single, “Shadow of Doubt,” which comes today in tandem with the announcement of her upcoming debut album, Roll With The Punches, out August 8. This is gunslinger, black-and-white western film, black-cowboy-hat-wearing country (& western!) that’s effortlessly timeless while overtly contemporary and forward-looking.

From bluegrass to indie folk to good country, You Gotta Hear This!

Gena Britt, “Goodbye to the Blues” 

Artist: Gena Britt
Hometown: Star, North Carolina
Song: “Goodbye To The Blues”
Release Date: April 25, 2025
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “I’m so excited about ‘Goodbye to the Blues.’ This amazing band helped me bring this to life in the studio. What an absolute dream band! With the help of one of my best friends Tina Steffey, we were able to pay tribute to the great Lynn Morris’ clawhammer banjo playing from her original cut. I’m a huge Lynn Morris and Marshall Wilborn fan and I hope everyone loves this as much as I do.” – Gena Britt

Track Credits:
Gena Britt –Banjo, lead vocal
John Meador – Acoustic guitar, harmony vocal
Alan Bartram – Upright bass, harmony vocal
Jason Carter – Fiddles
Jonathan Dillon – Mandolin
Tina Steffey – Clawhammer banjo
Tony Creasman – Drums


Aaron Burdett, “Honeybees”

Artist: Aaron Burdett
Hometown: Saluda, North Carolina
Song: “Honeybees”
Release Date: April 25, 2025
Label: Organic Records

In Their Words: “In the summer of 2024 I was talking with my friend Bob, who’s kept bees and has family who does the same, and he said something about noticing ‘two honeybees on my sleeve.’ He was remarking about the time of season and wondering what their deal was. It got me thinking about the ambiguity of any given moment in time. Anything could have brought them there and they could be going on in any number of directions after. I like taking note of noteworthy moments, and any moment can be noteworthy if I look at it in just the right way.” – Aaron Burdett

Track Credits:
Aaron Burdett –Lead vocal, acoustic guitar
Kristin Scott Benson – Banjo
Carley Arrowood – Fiddle
Tristan Scroggins – Mandolin
Jon Weisberger – Upright bass
Wendy Hickman – Harmony vocal
Travis Book – Harmony vocal


Rebecca Porter, “Shadow of Doubt”

Artist: Rebecca Porter
Hometown: Harrisonburg, Virginia
Song: “Shadow of Doubt”
Album: Roll With The Punches
Release Date: April 25, 2025 (single); August 8, 2025 (album)
Label: Holding All The Roses

In Their Words: “The rattle of strums on my 1965 Gibson J-45 and the deep breaths thrust into the air as ‘oohs’ signal a shift and I hope listeners know, ‘Shadow of Doubt’ is a deeply personal song. It details events and relationships that were swept under the rug for years, but despite the cloak of ignorance, the waves of shame and emotional turmoil continued to rage. Ignoring that time only made the internal chaos sharper. I wrote this song to build a new framework and find closure for that pivotal point in my life. No one held my power captive any longer, and the internal chaos that shattered each day was released.

“This track captures the essence of Roll With the Punches. The record details snapshots of my life in song, framed through our interpretation and creative inspiration of western cinema. A fervent exploration of roots’ tones and instrumentations. Much like the rugged characters in western films, the album unfolds through tough moments of enlightenment, self-reflection, and perseverance. Within the walls of ‘Shadow of Doubt,’ listeners navigate uncomfortable truths including some of my darkest moments and ultimately realize that even while bloody or bruised, it is still possible to soar.” – Rebecca Porter

Track Credits:
Rebecca Porter – Acoustic guitar, vocals, songwriter
Ben Bailey – Baritone guitar, electric guitar
Ben Schlabach – Bass
Scott Whitten – Drums
Perry Blosser – Fiddle
Danny Gibney – Keys
Jason Summer – Pedal steel
Jacob Briggs – Percussion


Sam Robbins, “So Much I Still Don’t See”

Artist: Sam Robbins
Hometown: Boston, Massachusetts
Song: “So Much I Still Don’t See”
Album: So Much I Still Don’t See
Release Date: April 25, 2025

In Their Words: “‘So Much I Still Don’t See’ is the title track and my favorite song on the album. It’s really the culmination of the whole album. It’s written about the quiet inequalities in this country that I’ve always known were there, but have seen so much more clearly as I’ve been touring over the past few years.

“It is a political song, but it’s a subtle one – I didn’t want this one to bash you over the head, I wanted it to be akin to a conversation with a friend. The more I’ve travelled, the more people and cultures I’ve seen that are so different from mine, I’ve seen how little I know. To me, this is the essence of the entire album.” – Sam Robbins


Sage & Aera, “Let It Rain”

Artist: Sage & Aera
Hometown: Waldron, Kansas
Song: “Let It Rain”
Album: Love Undoubtedly Underlies Everything
Release Date: April 25, 2025 (single); August 10, 2025 (album)
Label: MATRKA

In Their Words: “This is a song about resilience, not through striving but through surrender. There is a point in life when surrender is the only door to freedom. This door usually appears when our suffering reaches some inescapable peak. Even if we are only allowed a fleeting glimpse, this glimpse, more often than not, is transformative by nature. In this way, suffering is our greatest teacher. I don’t claim to capture the unspeakable beauty of such things through song but I will continue to try.

“‘Let It Rain’ began sometime around 2013, while I was still in Colorado playing with Elephant Revival, and at least a year before we (Sage & Aera) began playing as WE DREAM DAWN. These recordings are from 2016-2020 when WE DREAM DAWN grew to include GRAMMY Award winning Steven Vidaic, Mark Levy, and Darren Garvey. Currently we are touring as an acoustic duo to support this epic passion project of a record called Love Undoubtedly Underlies Everything.” – Sage Thomas Cook

Track Credits:
Sage Thomas Cook – Acoustic Guitar, vocals, production
Aera Fox – Bass guitar, moog, vocals
Steven Vidaic – Keys, backup vocals, mixing
Mark Levy – Drums
Darren Garvey – Percussion
Mike Yach – Mastering


Photo Credit: Gena Britt by Laci Mack; Rebecca Porter by Heather Goodloe.

Ed’s Picks: Country From All Corners

(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. 

Sign up here to receive Good Country issues when they launch, direct to your email inbox via Substack.)






BGS 5+5: Rebecca Porter

Artist: Rebecca Porter
Hometown: Harrisonburg, Virginia
Latest Release: “Happy Go Lucky”
Personal Nicknames (or rejected band names): Becca

What’s your favorite memory from being on stage?

RP: One of my most favorite memories from being on stage is a recent one – singing on stage with The Steel Wheels at Red Wing Roots Music Festival. This was my first year performing at the festival. A couple weeks prior to its tenth year celebration, The Steel Wheels’ fiddle player reached out and invited me to join them as part of a folk choir for their song “Till No One Is Free.” After a couple run-throughs with the band and The Honey Dewdrops backstage, it seemed The Steel Wheels’ set flew by and before I knew it, I walked out on stage with them. I faced the largest crowd I’d ever performed for, shoulder to shoulder with the founders of the festival. So many smiles and festival goers welcomed us all into their hearts with open arms as they sang along with our makeshift folk choir. While the air was filled with countless voices, a calm silence of comfort fell over my heart.

What other art forms — literature, film, dance, painting, etc. — inform your music?

Visual arts impact my music by allowing me to observe and participate in the artist’s work, their vision, their experience. I may not be directly involved in the work’s creation, but the role of observing and appreciating a work, determining if and how it informs my thoughts, feelings, beliefs. All of those things are very similar to how I write, create and listen to music. A couple of my favorite artists include Cai Guo-Qiang, a Chinese artist who works in gunpowder drawings and explosives. The mere ability to utilize materials, typically connected to death and destruction, and repurpose them into visual wonders for peace, understanding and justice is beautiful. Kara Walker, an American contemporary who works in multiple mediums, creates mind-bending silhouettes that question and investigate race, gender, sexuality, and violence.

What was the first moment that you knew you wanted to be a musician?

I was known to dance on the family room coffee table to Billy Ray Cyrus’ “Achy Breaky Heart” a time or two, but the very first time I knew I wanted to be a musician was when I was four years old. I was watching an episode of Sally Jessy Raphael and a young girl sang “I Will Always Love You.” I still remember crying as I watched her sing and feeling a connection, a sort of sense of belonging.

If you had to write a mission statement for your career, what would it be?

Craft honest stories through lyrics, music and voice that foster and create connections. Utilize the power of song to build and inhabit spaces where individuals are safe to process, celebrate or escape themselves and the world around them. As with “Happy Go Lucky,” I want people to know it is okay, many times quite necessary, to feel the feels – do the shitty work for yourself – in order to move on and be at peace or replenish your happy-go-lucky when it starts to run out.

What has been the best advice you’ve received in your career so far?

If music is what you want, take it. Seize the moment, keep strumming. Go wherever your songs take you and then some.


Photo Credit: Heather Goodloe