Today’s listening session belongs to country’s up-and-comers.

Despite the presence of proven hit makers Thomas Rhett, Jennifer Nettles, The Randy Rogers Band and pop stars A.J. McLean and Danny Woods, the winning sounds in today’s DisClaimer column belong to artists with less marquee power.

In fact, I loved the baby acts so much that I’m dishing out three Disc of the Day prizes. The Female winner is Logan Brill. The Male winner is Morgan Wallen. The Group honoree is the duet by Jimmie Allen & Abby Anderson. Play them all.

The DisCovery Award winner is a revelation. I can’t remember the last time I was so blown away by a young talent as I am by Zac Clifton. If you love real country music, by all means lend him your ears.

A.J. MCLEAN/A Boy and a Man
Writers: Rob Crosby/Dave Fenley; Producer: Jason Massey; Publishers: none listed; InTune
– This Backstreet Boy tosses his hat into the country winner’s circle with this lilting come-on. He’s going to be her best lover because he’s gonna show her the difference between a boy and a man. A mid-tempo charmer with a lovely, wafting production.

DANNY WOOD and JESSIE CHRIS/Bodyguard
Writers: Danny Wood; Producer: Dow Brain; Publisher: none listed; JC
– New Kids on Block vet Danny teams up with new country soprano Jessie on this would-be power ballad. The anti-bullying song falls flat, and they lack chemistry as a vocal team.

JIMMIE ALLEN & ABBY ANDERSON/Shallow
Writers: Lady Gaga/Mark Ronson/Anthony Mossomando/Andrew Wyatt; Producer: Ash Bowers and Doug Johnson; Publishers: Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, House Of Gaga Publishing LLC, Concord Copyrights, Songs Of Zelig; Downtown DMP Songs, Downtown DLJ Songs, Warner-Barham Music, LLC and Warner-Olive Music, LLC; BBR
– This ballad won the Oscar as Best Movie Song and is a proven pop favorite. Jimmie and Abby’s acoustic version shimmers with the tension and finesse that only two vocalists of outstanding ability can deliver. These country kids sing their hearts out here. An undeniable winner.

LOGAN BRILL/Walk of Shame
Writers: Logan Brill/Nathan/Chapman/Chad Carlson; Producer: Jason Lehning; Publishers: WB Music Corp./Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp/Eight Nine 89 Music/Cabana Publishing; ASCAP/BMI/SESAC; LB
– I dig this. She sounds wise and bruised. Booze can lead you to regret and recrimination. The chiming production gives oomph to every line of her tale of feeling dirty after spending a night of weakness with an old flame.

LOCKWOOD BARR/I’m Not Crazy
Writers: Lockwood Barr/Ryan Youmans; Producer: Ryan Youmans; Publishers: Barr None Entertainment
– It begins with an ear-catching hesitation in her delivery and a deliberate, halting quality in the production. The tempo and the sonic complexity increase as she gets to the hook. The contrast between her rippling banjo notes and her sultry singing is oddly pleasing. Although I think this is a terrifically creative record, it’s probably a mite too meditative, atmospheric and hook-challenged to succeed on country radio.

MORGAN WALLEN/Chasin’ You
Writers: Craig Michael Wiseman/Jamie Moore/Morgan Cole Wallen; Producer: Christen Pinkston; Publishers: Kobalt/Warner-Chappell/BMG Rights Management, no performance rights listed; Big Loud
– I think this guy is a superstar in the making. I have loved everything he has issued, including this airy, open-road ode to a romance that has its taillights fading off in the distance. Great vocal, great song.

THOMAS RHETT/Look What God Gave Her
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Valory Music
– This thumpy toe tapper has a light-hearted innocence that’s infectious. Highly listenable.

RANDY ROGERS BAND/Crazy People
Writers: Brad Clawson/Jamie Paulin/Will Weatherly; Producer: Dave Cobb; Publisher:© 2019 Mandy’s Favorite Songs/Five Miles West/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp (BMI), Songs of Universal, Inc./Songsfortatum Publishing (BMI), Mandy’s Favorite Songs/Track House Worldwide Entertainment/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp (BMI); Thirty Tigers
– I’d have mixed the lead vocal a little hotter. But the band remains a total groove governor. And you have to give props to an outfit that has retained the same membership for 20 years. This is an endearing and enduring country treasure.

JENNIFER NETTLES/I Can Do Hard Things
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Big Machine
– Sung from the point of view of a woman who has endured much, but who perseveres through it all with joy, gratitude and wisdom. Sung with force and believability, this ballad has the power to become an anthem.

ZAC CLIFTON/Honky Tonk Heaven
Writer: Zac Clifton; Producer: Bobby Flores; Publishers: Rain In Spain, BMI; RD
– This 17-year-old Texan is a breath of fresh air. He’s a hard-country, honky-tonk throwback with a penetrating vocal delivery and a delightful, fiddle-and-steel production. The title tune of his album salutes Lefty, Paycheck, Merle, Patsy, Waylon, Hank, Johnny & June, Mel, Jones, Tammy, Kitty and your other gone-away country favorites in a place where “heroes spread their wings and fly.” Yee-Haw! from this corner. Not only does he sing like a bird, he wrote every song on the collection.

Country’s big guns are out for Country Radio Seminar.

Today’s stack of platters is loaded with star power, with some of today’s hottest hit makers next to living legends.

I am happy to report that — at least this week in “DisClaimer” — we have gender parity. The four finest releases are split between two female and two male acts. The women are Kree Harrison and Kacey Musgraves. The men are the newly stellar duo Dan + Shay and a trio consisting of Florida Georgia Line and Hardy.

The Disc of the Day award goes to Grammy queen Kacey Musgraves. The DisCovery Award also goes to a galentine, Ingrid Andress.

CHRIS JANSON/Good Vibes
Writers: Chris Janson/Ashley Gorley/Zach Crowell; Producers: Chris Janson & Zach Crowell; Publishers: none listed; Warner Bros.
– Not as innovative as his earlier efforts, but it is irresistibly merry and smiley. Ya gotta love this guy.

KREE HARRISON/I Love The Lie
Writers: Chris Stapleton/Morgane Stapleton/Liz Rose; Producers: Jordan Lehning/Skylar Wilson; One vision
– Everything works here — her silvery vocal delivery, the super hooky song, the steel guitar solo and the superb, rolling-rumble production. Rock on, sister.

GEORGE STRAIT/Every Little Honky Tonk Bar
Writers: George Strait/Bubba Strait/Dean Dillon; Producers: Strait/Chuck Ainlay; Publishers: none listed; MCA Nashville
-A hillbilly toe tapper with tightly-packed lyrics portraying your favorite roadhouse. I particularly like the “answering” steel and the super-close vocal harmonies.

INGRID ANDRESS/Lady Like
Writers: Derrick Southerland, Ingrid Andress, Sam Ellis; Producer: Sam Ellis; Publishers: none listed; Atlantic
– Cool, offbeat, tomboy lyrics. She sounds like a comer to me. Lend her your ears.

FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE & HARDY/Y’all Boys
Writers: Jesse Frasure/Ashley Gorley/Michael Hardy/Brett Tyler; Producers: Joey Moi/FGL; Producers: Warner-Tamerlane/Telemitry Rhythm House/Songs of Roc Nation/Songsofgroceries/Round Hill Songs II/Caleb’s College Fund/Relative/Songs of Kobalt/Extremely Combustible/Music of One77, BMI/ASCAP; BMLG
-The dense production holds audio delights around every corner. The good ol’ boy lyrics sound like retreads, but there’s no getting around the overall sonic splendor.

DOLLY PARTON/Red Shoes
Writers: Dolly Parton/Linda Perry; Producer: Linda Perry; Publishers: Velvet Apple/Dark Robot/Peer, BMI; RCA/Dolly
– Tucked in among her classics in the show-stopping Grammy telecast medley was this riveting gem from Dolly’s Dumplin’ soundtrack. Perry’s production builds nicely as the superstar relates her empowering lyric.

ADAM HAMBRICK/All You, All Night, All Summer
Writers: Adam Hambrick/Pete Good/AJ Babcock; Producers: Andrew DeRoberts/Paul DiGiovanni; Capitol/Buena Vista
-It’s February, so Adam thinks we need a sunshine song. It’s a catchy dandy, full of bright production touches and featuring a boyish, upbeat, tenor vocal. I remain a fan.

KACEY MUSGRAVES/Rainbow
Writers: Natlie Hemby/Shane McAnally/Kacey Musgraves; Producers: Ian Fitchuk, Daniel Tashian & Kacey Musgraves; Publishers: none listed; MCA
– Wow. As we saw on the Grammy Awards where she triumphed, it’s just Kacey’s poignant voice and Ian’s piano. But what an enchanting spell they cast. The sweet ballad of perseverance offers strength and encouragement to the oppressed and downtrodden everywhere. Country music needs this song.

DAN + SHAY/All To Myself
Writers: none listed; Producers: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Warner Bros.
-An intoxicating romantic cocktail, mixed with twirling rhythm and delicious melody. A stone smash.

JASON ALDEAN/Rearview Town
Writers: Kelley Lovelace/Bobby Pinson/Neil Thrasher; Producers: EMI Music Publishing/Sea Gayle Music Publishing/peer music; Publishers: Michael Knox; BBR
– Lots and lots of people will relate to this lyric. There’s not much to the tune or the production, so it’s left to Jason’s vocal performance to carry the day. And it does.

Today’s edition of DisClaimer belongs to country music’s up-and-comers.

Travis Denning turns up with another winner. Kassi Ashton and Kendall Beard redeem themselves with their sophomore singles. Shane Owens continues to hold the flag high for vintage honky-tonk sonic attitude.

Best of all, the goddess Ashley McBryde has issued the title tune to her awesome album. It earns her an unchallenged Disc of the Day award.

A trio called Lockeland wins this week’s DisCovery Award.

KENDALL BEARD/Here Comes Trouble
Writers: Kendall Beard/A.J. Vallejo; Producer: A.J. Vallejo; Publisher: none listed; VMG/Broken Angel
– The track cooks with a neo-rockabilly railroad chug, leaving cinders and smoke in its wake. She rides atop it with a saucy, coy, confident soprano. A toe tapper.

ASHLEY MCBRYDE/Girl Goin’ Nowhere
Writers: McBryde/Jeremy Bussey; Producer: Jay Joyce; Publishers: Songs of Song factory/Universal Tunes, BMI/SESAC; Atlantic
– The ballad title tune of Ashley’s spectacular debut album plucks at every heart string of every picker there ever was. Her tender, aching delivery contrasts the depressing naysayers of her youth with her ultimate glow in the spotlight. The long delay until the band comes in only adds to the exquisite emotional pinpoints. This woman rules.

 

EASTON CORBIN/Somebody’s Gotta Be Country
Writers: Ashley Gorley/Dallas Davidson/Rhett Akins; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; EC
– Ya gotta love it. It’s yet another proud-to-be-country romp. But his delivery is just so earnest and good natured that you can’t help smiling. A happy redneck winner.

KASSI ASHTON/Violins
Writers: Kassi Ashton/Luke Dick/Natalie Hemby; Producers: Luke Dick/Luke Laird; Publishers: none listed; MCA
– Despite what you might expect from the title, this is feisty, rocking and smart-ass. The gist is that whatever sympathy tune he’s playing, she ain’t listening. Her spitfire delivery is packed with tart attitude.

 

TRAVIS DENNING/After A Few
Writers: Travis Denning/Kelly Archer/Justin Weaver; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Mercury
– It has a nice, rolling groove with a thumping undertow. His urgent vocal relays the story of a guy who relapses with an ex way too often. I remain a booster of this fellow.

LOCKELAND/Til The Cows Come Home
Writers: Michael Boris/Kyndon Oakes/Mark Vikingstad/Renn Anderson; Producers: Boris/Sean Spence; Publishers: none listed; Lockeland
– Everyone’s trying real hard. Intense picking. Polished group harmonies. Propulsive energy. It has a rather anxious vibe, but there’s no denying the talent here.

SHANE OWENS/Love To Try Them On
Writers: noen listed; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Amerimonte
– It’s sort of an answer to “Who’s Gonna Fill Their Shoes?” Which means it is perfect for a hardcore traditionalist like Shane. On top of that, it’s a toe-tapping, honky-tonkin’ par-tay. While he tips his hat to George Jones, Merle Haggard, Vern Gosdin and Keith Whitley, he has a blast. Play it.

 

GARTH BROOKS/Stronger Than Me
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Pearl (ERG)
– I know it is supposed to sound love-y, but I can’t escape the feeling that it is somehow condescending.

DEE JAY SILVER & CORT CARPENTER/Safe Zone
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; DJS
– Dull, plodding and repetitive. Even the naked chick in the video can’t save it.

JOHN SCHNEIDER/Who Da Baby Daddy
Writers: Haselden; Producers: Paul Leim, Schneider, Alicia Allain, Bob Bullock; Publisher: none listed; Maven (track)
– Ripping off Stevie Wonder’s groove to “Superstition” is not a promising start. Attempting a black accent while relating the Christmas story digs the hole deeper. However, I have to admit that the lyric is as clever as the dickens. Definitely worth a listen.

 

Music Row gets religion this week.

In today’s stack of country platters, we find fabulous gospel efforts by Josh Turner, Gordon Mote and our Disc of the Day winners, Gold City. Shout hallelujah.

If you want secular recommendations, I’m urging spins for Chris Young, Big & Rich and our DisCovery Award winners, The Jake Bartley Band. Brotherhood is this band’s debut album, and I have a feeling it won’t be its last.

THE JAKE BARTLEY BAND/Cannonball
Writer: Jake Bartley; Producers: Andrew Crawford, Jake Bartley, Matt Miller; Publisher: none listed; Bonfire (track)
– It’s a well-written Civil War story song about a slave who fights in the Confederate Army. After the war, he vows to return to South Carolina and anonymity. The tempo is brisk, the production is crisp and the harmony vocal is by Vince Gill.

GORDON MOTE/Love, Love, Love
Writers: Mark Nesler/Marty Dodson/Liz Hengber; Producer: Phil Johnson, Wayne Haun, Gordon Mote; Publishers: Nashvistaville/Songs of Universal/Black to Black/I Hope Mama’s Listening/Red Sox Fan, BMI/ASCAP; New Haven
– A-list session pianist Mote is back with a new country-gospel collection. Its title tune is a stately, folksy sermon with a steady rhythm and a splendidly crafted lyric. His singing voice is as fluid and confident as are his fingers on the ivories. Highly recommended.

 

BIG & RICH/Brand New Buzz
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publishers: none listed; B&B/New Revolution
– The champagne, the whiskey and the bong aren’t the high that her lovin’ is. The track churns and builds with shuddering electric guitar work, relentless rhythm and increasing power and volume while the boys sing their butts off. Totally righteous and rockin.’

CHRIS YOUNG/Raised On Country
Writers: Chris Young, Corey Crowder, Cary Barlowe; Producers: Young/Crowder; Publishers: none listed; RCA (download)
– Chris name-checks influences Strait, Diffie, A.J., Merle, Willie and Bocephus in this funky, rollicking, lively, joyous bopper. A smile from ear to ear.

 

MARK WAYNE GLASSMIRE/I’ve Got A Feeling
Writers: Debi Champion/Mark Wayne Glassmire; Producers: JOhn Albani/John Wayne Glassmire; Publishers: none listed, BMI/ASCAP; Traceway
-It has a vaguely early-Eagles feeling in that it has an airy, California-country vibe. Sweet and creamy sounding.

WILLIAM SHATNER, JEFF COOK, NEAL MCCOY & HOME FREE/Why Not Me
Writers: Corey Lee Barker/Shawn Sackman; Producers: Jeff Cook, Brian Curl, William Shatner; Publishers: none listed; Heartland
– Captain Kirk has always loved country music, and now he’s getting his own country CD, thanks to Alabama’s Jeff Cook. He also knows he can’t sing, so he gives this lyric his serious, spoken-word oomph while Neal McCoy warbles and Home Free harmonizes mightily alongside him. Shatner will make his debut on the Opry with this on Feb. 15. Be there or be square.
&nsbp;

 

JOSH TURNER/I Saw The Light
Writer: Hank Williams; Producer: none listed; Publishers: none listed; MCA Nashville
– It’s pretty hard to screw up this Hank Williams gospel classic. Josh gives it a rather mellow spin, instead of its usual hand-clapping style. The rumbling, rolling and flawlessly picked track that backs him is the star here.

AARON WATSON/Kiss That Girl Goodbye
Writer: Aaron Watson; Producer: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Big Label
-A breakup has never sounded this excited and rocking.

 

OLD DOMINION/Make It Sweet
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publishers: none listed; RCA
– As usual, the song craftsmanship is first rate. The happy, hooky toe tapper is about seizing the moment and having a fine time in romance, because “life is short, make it sweet.”

GOLD CITY/Alabama Mud
Writers: Jason Wayne Cox/Timothy Harold Lovelace/Belinda Lee Smith; Producers: Michael Sykes, Daniel Riley & Ken Harding; Publishers: Christian Taylor/Daywind/House of Lovelace, BMI; New Haven
– These stellar singing souls recently and deservedly entered the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. If you’ve ever wondered if there really is “power in the blood,” give this deep dive into backwoods country a listen. A spectacular performance. Want a trip to vintage Southern-gospel heaven? Check out the group’s revival of the old Florida Boys favorite “Bible Lovin’ Man,” which is also on its new Hope for the Journey collection.

Let’s have a quick look today at what’s going on in the bluegrass world.

The stack of platters boasts two excellent live collections, one from Hot Rize and one from The Earls of Leicester. NewTown and Balsam Range have both returned with dandy sets.

The Disc of the Day award goes to the all-female group Sister Sadie, now marketing its second collection.

One of the most consistently enjoyable discs came from Appalachian Road Show, which earns it a DisCovery Award.

LORRAINE JORDAN & CAROLINA ROAD/True Grass
Writers: David Stewart; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Pinecastle (track)
– This has been sitting at No. 1 on the Bluegrass Unlimited chart for months. It is unadulterated ‘grass, stacked with high-lonesome harmonies and stately picking. The head-scratching premise of the song is that “Murder on Music Row” now extends to the bluegrass sound. You see, they’ve killed country music, and now they’re killing bluegrass, too. That’s news to me.

HIGH FIDELITY/The Hills and Home
Writer: John Duffy; Producers: Jeremy Stephens, Corrina Rose Logston Stephens and Brad Benge; Publisher: Fort Knox/Trio;BMI; Rebel
– This band’s debut CD has yielded a tune that’s at No. 5 on the bluegrass chart this month and is rising fast. The highlights are splendid runs on mandolin, fiddle, acoustic guitar and banjo. The group’s vocal blend is smooth and a trifle bland. More excitement, please.

SISTER SADIE/Losing You Blues
Writers: Tina Adair/Doug Barlett; Producer: Sister Sadie; Publisher: Tina Adair, BMI; Pinecastle
-This band has an all-star female lineup — Dale Ann Bradley, Deanie Richardson, Tina Adair, Gena Britt and Beth Lawrence. Tina takes a fiery lead vocal on the CD’s lead-off tune, which is rising rapidly on the bluegrass chart at No. 12. Deanie’s fiddle sizzles throughout this minor-key gem about rising above a heartbreak. Essential.

LARRY CORDLE/Yardbird
Writers: L. Cordle/L. Shell; Producer: Larry Cordle; Publisher: Wandachord/Not Her Money, BMI; Mighty Cord (track)
– This Nashville songwriting treasure has just entered the Bluegrass Unlimited top-20 with this lively ode to pecking chickens. The album is titled Tales From East Kentucky. Like everything Cordle does, it’s a keeper.

APPALACHIAN ROAD SHOW/Dance, Dance, Dance
Writers: B. Cooper/J. Cooper/S. Miller; Producers: Barry Abernathy, Darrell Webb, Ben Isaacs; Billy Blue
– Clocking in at No. 20 on the bluegrass hit parade is this scampering, ear-opening acoustic treatment of a Steve Miller Band rock tune. The cornerstones of this group are lead singers Barry Abernathy (banjo in Mountain Heart, Doyle Lawson’s Quicksilver, IIIrd Tyme Out) and Darrell Webb (mandolin in Lonesome River Band, J.D. Crowe’s New South, Rhonda Vincent’s Rage). Also doing outstanding work here is fiddler Jim VanCleve. The track comes from a highly diverse and immensely enjoyable collection. Buy and believe.

BALSAM RANGE/Get Me Gone
Writers: Walt Wilkins/Jim McBride/Jon Randall Stewart; Producer: Balsam Range; Publishers: Curb Congregation/Reynsong/Rightfield/Songs of Daniel/Tanasi Island/Wha Ya Say/Rezemblance, SESAC/BMI; Mountain Home
– Entering the bluegrass chart this month at No. 25 is this travelin’-man ditty. The lickety-split tempo and ultra cool song craftsmanship are the calling cards here. Balsam Range is the reigning IBMA Entertainer of the Year, and its new Aeonic CD is a clear demonstration why. The set, due on Jan. 4, also includes its proven hit, “The Girl Who Invented the Wheel” and a breakneck-speed cover of The Beatles’ “If I Needed Someone.”

THE EARLS OF LEICESTER/Long Journey Home
Writers: traditional; Producer: Jerry Douglas; Publisher: public domain; Rounder
– This all-star band’s goal is to keep the classic sound of Flatt & Scruggs alive. Its debut in-concert CD is Live at the CMA Theater in the Country Music Hall of Fame, recorded over a two-night stand last February. Its lead single gives Jerry Douglas’s dobro, Charlie Cushman’s banjo and Johnny Warren’s fiddle room to dazzle the ears. Shawn Camp’s guitar and voice set the pace. This band totally rules.

NEWTOWN/Heart of Stone
Writer: Tyler Childers; Producer: Barry Bales; Publishers: Hickman Holler/BMI; Mountain HOme
-NewTown prides itself in painting a little outside the bluegrass lines. Drawing from the catalog of Americana/country sensation Tyler Childers for three of the tunes on its Old World CD is one illustration of this. The tart/sweet lead voice of fiddler Kati Penn takes us through the haunting melody of his hillbilly heartache lament about a wicked temptress. Highly listenable, as is the entire collection.

HOT RIZE/Wichita Lineman
Writer: Jimmy Webb: Producer: none listed; Publisher: Universal PolyGram International, ASCAP; Ten In Hand
– The band celebrated its 40th anniversary this year with a bash in Boulder that featured such celeb guests as Sam Bush, Stuart Duncan and Jerry Douglas. For a bluegrass group (heck, any group) to endure that long is practically unheard of. Even more impressive is the fact that Hot Rize still sounds so scintillating. This cover of the 1968 Glen Campbell classic is just one of many super moments on this outstanding, 26-track live recording. Amazing band. Enduring love from this longtime listener.

TELLICO/Courage For The Morning
Writers: Anya Hinkle; Producer: John Doyle; Publishers: none listed, BMI; Organic
– Released last month, this group’s Woven Waters CD leads off with this inspirational tune about perseverance and strength of character. Anya Hinkle’s slightly bluesy, behind-the-beat phrasing is quite ear catching. The dobro accents by the group’s Aaron Ballance are nifty, too. Don’t have a cow, but there’s an electric guitar in the mix.