RaeLynn Takes Fans Back Home On Full ‘Baytown’ Album [Interview]

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RaeLynn. Photo: Alysse Gafkjen

Two-time ACM New Female Vocalist of the Year nominee RaeLynn has many things to celebrate this season with the birth of her first child, daughter Daisy Rae, on Sept. 8, and the release of her new full-length album, Baytown, which is available everywhere today (Sept. 24).

After releasing a six-song EP by the same name in 2020, the Baytown album expands upon the original set by adding eight more tracks to the full-length project.

Marking her debut studio album on Florida Georgia Line‘s Round Here Records and her first full-length release since 2017’s Wildhorse, RaeLynn is a writer on all 14 songs on the Corey Crowder-produced album alongside some of Nashville’s most in-demand writers, including Bob DiPiero, Brett James, Emily Weisband, Tyler Hubbard, and Crowder.

Baytown, named after RaeLynn’s hometown outside of Houston, Texas, draws serious inspiration from the place that made her the person and artist that she is today.

“Any artists I meet that didn’t come from Nashville are all unique in their own way. What makes them unique is where they grew up, what they were around, what music they were surrounded by, and what their environment was,” RaeLynn tells MusicRow. “For the first couple of years, I was trying to figure out who I was in Nashville. I realized that what makes me different and what makes me special is that I grew up in a place called Baytown and being the baby of eight kids. I realized that all of these different things that are woven inside of me have made me who I am, and that’s going to show into my music,” she explains.

“The best way for me to describe Baytown is country people with a little grit and sass.” When describing Baytown in a sonic sense, she sums, “It’s like if Cardi B and Dolly Parton had a baby. It’s fun, but a little ratchet in the best way.”

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With tracks like the heartfelt “Small Town Prayer” and the revealing “Only In A Small Town,” RaeLynn offers up the different shades of growing up in a place like Baytown on the aptly named record.

“I love those two songs because they go to show the undeniable pureness and authenticity of a small town that makes us who we are, but then they also have the rowdiness of what a small town represents too. Everybody knows each other and gets into a little bit of trouble, but everybody has each other’s back too,” she comments.

Additionally, the album includes a couple of welcomed duets, including the entertaining “Why I Got A Truck” with her former The Voice coach Blake Shelton, and the flirty “Get That All The Time” with Mitchell Tenpenny.

Baytown also features familiar favorites like “Keep Up,” “Judgin’ To Jesus,” “Rowdy,” and “Bra Off,” while also giving fans new tracks that showcase more sides of the Platinum singer-songwriter that they haven’t heard before.

RaeLynn. Photo: Ford Fairchild

“She Chose Me,” which undoubtedly serves as the album’s centerpiece, takes listeners behind the curtain of RaeLynn’s life as she learned that she was the result of an extramarital affair. Giving a vulnerable invitation into how she came into this world, the track chronicles her mother’s momentous choice to keep the pregnancy despite the small town scrutiny while also serving as a prequel to her 2016 breakout Gold-certified single, “Love Triangle.”

Coming full-circle from there, RaeLynn also shares a demo version of “Made For Me To Love,” which make her own daughter, Daisy, her muse for the first of what’s sure to be many times to come.

With over 840 million career streams and nearly half a million album equivalents sold, one of country music’s newest parents will be spending the next few months diving into motherhood with plans of returning to the road in early 2022.

“I don’t know anything about [motherhood] so it’s all gonna be new to me, but I’m beyond excited,” she shared as she was preparing for Daisy’s arrival. “This pregnancy has honestly been an incredible experience… I’ve had such a beautiful time being pregnant, and it’s been so cool to be able to do something beyond myself.

“I’m gonna miss being pregnant for those special moments, but I am excited to drink a margarita,” she jokingly admits.

RaeLynn’s full-length album, Baytown, is available now.

Co-Founding Member Of The Blind Boys Of Alabama, Jimmy Carter, Releases Solo Album

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Jimmy Carter, the last original member of The Blind Boys of Alabama, released his first solo album Blind Faith on Sept. 20.

Carter is the eldest member of The Blind Boys of Alabama, the five-time Grammy-winning, Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award-winning, Gospel Hall of Fame members. The group was founded in 1939 in Talladega, Alabama and has featured a changing roster of musicians over its history, the majority of whom are or were visually impaired.

Carter dedicated the song “I Am With You Still,” the first single off of Blind Faith, in memory of his good friend, co-founder of The Blind Boys of Alabama, Clarence Fountain.

Produced and co-written by songwriter and musician Ron Pullman, Carter aims to send a Gospel message and a source of peace with the solo album.

Carter says, “This is my first solo album and I am excited to be able to sing some original music that’s in harmony with traditional Gospel, while using a range of different musical genres that embrace the Gospel sound with an up-lifting message.”

Weekly Register: Kacey Musgraves Enjoys “Simple Times” With Top Country Album & Song Debut

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Kacey Musgraves. Photo: Sophia Matinazad

Kacey Musgraves nabbed the top country streaming song and album debut this week. The Grammy-winning songstress’ fourth studio album, Star-Crossed, debuts at No. 1 on the country albums charts and No. 3 overall with 77,000 first-week streams. Her nostalgic track, “Simple Times,” also made its debut at No. 16 on the country streaming songs chart, earning 4 million streams, according to Nielsen.

Monument’s Walker Hayes continues his reign at No. 1 on the top country streaming songs chart as “Fancy Like” earns a staggering 14 million streams, bringing him up to 137 million streams RTD. Jason Aldean & Carrie Underwood follow at No. 2 as “If I Didn’t Love You” adds 7.4 million streams, Ryan Hurd & Maren Morris‘ “Chasing After You” adds 7 million streams in the third spot, and Nelly & Florida Georgia Line drop to fourth with “Lil Bit” gaining 6.5 million streams. Cracking the top five, Jordan Davis and Luke Bryan‘s “Buy Dirt” receives 6.5 million streams this week.

After 36 weeks, Morgan Wallen‘s Dangerous: The Double Album falls to the No. 2 spot on the top country streaming album chart, adding 38,000 streams, according to Nielsen. Luke Combs takes the third spot with What You See Is What You Get and the fifth spot with This One’s For You, earning 22,000 and 15,000 streams, respectively. Hayes fills out the top five as Country Stuff remains at No. 4 with 16,000 streams.

‘CMT Artists Of The Year’ To Honor Mickey Guyton As Breakout Artist Of The Year

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Mickey Guyton. Photo: Bonnie Nichoalds

CMT will honor Mickey Guyton with the Breakout Artist of the Year award at its CMT Artists of the Year event taking place live from Nashville’s Schermerhorn Symphony Center on Wednesday, Oct. 13 at 8 p.m. CT on CMT.

Guyton has made history this year as the first Black female solo artist to earn a Grammy nomination in a country category (Best Country Solo Performance) for “Black Like Me.” This past April, she also co-hosted the 56th Academy of Country Music Awards on CBS alongside Keith Urban.

She is currently nominated for CMA New Artist of the Year. Guyton also received two nominations for the 2021 MusicRow Awards, including Breakthrough Artist of the Year and Song of the Year (“Black Like Me”).

“We are thrilled to honor the immensely talented Mickey Guyton as this year’s Breakout Artist of the Year. After relentlessly chasing her dreams in country music for years, her perseverance, tenacity and spirit have culminated in this spectacular moment of recognition where she’s finally receiving the credit she deserves,” shares Leslie Fram, Senior Vice President, Music & Talent, CMT. “Congratulations Mickey! We look forward to celebrating with you, and all of our honorees on Oct. 13.”

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This marks the fourth time in event history that the Breakout Artist of the Year honor will be bestowed, with previous honorees including Chris Stapleton (2015), Kelsea Ballerini (2016) and Ashley McBryde (2019).

As previously announced, this year’s CMT Artists of the Year will honor its class of 2021, including Chris Stapleton, Gabby Barrett, Kane Brown, Kelsea Ballerini and Luke Combs. Musical pairings, special guests and additional performers and presenters will be announced in the coming weeks.

‘Christmas With Ronnie Milsap’ Sees Holiday Reissue After 35 Years

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Christmas with Ronnie Milsap, the sole holiday album from the legendary country star, is being reissued by Craft Recordings and released on Nov. 12. Originally released in 1986, the release marks the first time in 35 years the project will now be available on CD. The album is available for pre-order now.

Backed by orchestral arrangements, Milsap offers a country take on traditional yuletide favorites while peppering in originals like “Only One Night of the Year” and the bluesy “It’s Just Not Christmas (If I Can’t Spend It With You).” He also offers a spoken message to his fans in “Christmas Thoughts,” before closing with “We’re Here to Love,” which originally appeared on his bestselling 1983 LP, Keyed Up. 

Christmas with Ronnie Milsap was originally released at the height of Milsap’s fame, when he was enjoying an incredible streak of No. 1s on the Billboard country chart, as well as crossover success with songs like “Show Her,” “Stranger in My House” and the Grammy and ACM Award-winning “Lost in the Fifties Tonight (In the Still of the Night).”

The 78-year-old recording artist continues to release new material and entertain fans around the world, most recently releasing his 29th studio album, A Better Word for Love, this year.

Christmas with Ronnie Milsap Track List:
Noel Prelude
Only One Night of the Year
I’ll Be Home for Christmas
Christmas Medley: Carol of the Bells / O Come, O Come Emmanuel / Silent Night / Joy to the World
It’s Christmas
It’s Just Not Christmas (If I Can’t Spend It With You)
Silver Bells
O Holy Night
Christmas Thoughts
We’re Here to Love

Willie Nelson Keeps It In The Family On Latest Project

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Willie Nelson‘s latest studio album, The Willie Nelson Family, featuring the country legend’s family of musicians, is set for release from Legacy Recordings on Nov. 19. The first single from the project, “Family Bible,” is available everywhere now.

“Family Bible” was penned in 1957, and was inspired by scenes of Nelson’s grandmother singing “Rock of Ages” and reading from her Bible after supper. As a struggling young songwriter in Texas, Nelson sold the song to Paul Buskirk, who enlisted singer Claude Gray to record Nelson’s songs. Gray’s single of “Family Bible” was released in February 1960 and reached No. 7 on Billboard‘s Hot Country Singles chart. The single’s success enabled Nelson to move to Nashville, where he established his reputation as a songwriter. Nelson recorded his own version of “Family Bible” for the first time on his 1971 album, Yesterday’s Wine.

The full Nelson and Steve Chadie-produced project features 12 favorites from the Nelson Family repertoire, including A.P. Carter’s “Keep It On The Sunnyside” and the traditional hymn “In The Garden;” Hank Williams’ “I Saw The Light;” Kris Kristofferson’s “Why Me;” and more.

Willie’s Family Band includes sister Bobbie (piano); Lukas (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, lead vocals, background vocals); Micah (drums, bass, background vocals); Paula (background vocals); Amy (background vocals); Mickey Raphael (harmonica); Billy English (drums); Paul English (percussion) and Kevin Smith (bass).

Willie’s son Lukas, who fronts Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, sings lead vocals on two of the album’s tracks–”All Things Must Pass” and “Keep It On The Sunnyside”–while sharing lead vocals with Willie on “I Saw the Light,” “I Thought About You, Lord” and “Why Me.”

Willie Nelson & Family are slated to headline Farm Aid 2021 in Hartford, Connecticut on Saturday, Sept. 25. This year’s Farm Aid lineup will include sets by Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real and Particle Kid (Micah Nelson’s musical ensemble).

The Willie Nelson Family Track List:
1. Heaven and Hell (Willie Nelson)
2. Kneel at the Feet of Jesus (Willie Nelson)
3. Laying My Burdens Down (Willie Nelson)
4. Family Bible (Claude Gray, Paul Buskirk & Walt Breeland)
5. In the Garden (traditional)
6. All Things Must Pass (George Harrison)
7. I Saw the Light (Hank Williams, Sr.)
8. In God’s Eyes (Willie Nelson)
9. Keep It On the Sunnyside (A.P. Carter)
10. I Thought About You, Lord (Willie Nelson)
11. Too Sick To Pray (Willie Nelson)
12. Why Me (Kris Kristofferson)

Nashville A-Team Musician Bob Moore Dies

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Pictured: Bob Moore, circa 1960. Photograph by: Bill Forshee, courtesy of CMHOF

Nashville A-Team bassist, Bob Moore, has died. He was 88.

Throughout his more than 60-year career, Moore was one of the lead musicians to utilize the bass guitar as a country music instrument and was the first-call bassist on Music Row’s A-Team of session musicians from the 1950s through the 1970s. Along the way, he provided rhythmic support and ideas for an array of classic country hits, including Patsy Cline’s “I Fall to Pieces,” Brenda Lee’s “I’m Sorry,” Loretta Lynn’s “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” Roger Miller’s “King of the Road,” Elvis Presley’s “Are You Lonesome Tonight?” Marty Robbins’s “El Paso,” Kenny Rogers’ “The Gambler,” and Conway Twitty’s “Hello Darlin’,” among countless others.

Pictured: Bob Moore on bass during a Brenda Lee recording session at Bradley’s Film and Recording Studio. Photograph by: Elmer Williams, courtesy of CMHOF

Born in 1932, he was raised by his grandmother near Nashville’s Shelby Park. By age nine he set up a shoeshine box near the entrance of the historic Ryman Auditorium, and before long was invited backstage to shine the boots and shoes of Opry stars.

Only a year later, Moore had begun performing in a band he formed called the Eagle Rangers. When Moore was 14, he joined the Grand Ole Opry duo Jamup & Honey before joining Little Jimmy Dickens’ band at 18. At age 23, he accepted an offer to play on the famed Red Foley television show, Ozark Jubilee.

Moore eventually met pianist and record producer Owen Bradley, who told Moore that he would soon be operating a Nashville office for Decca Records to which Moore would be a regular session bassist.

In the 1950s, Moore began playing on Nashville recordings that represented what would become known as rockabilly, including for Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, Brenda Lee, Bobby Helms, Wanda Jackson, and Johnny Burnette and the Rock & Roll Trio.

In 1961, Moore also enjoyed a major pop hit of his own with his instrumental recording “Mexico.” The song went No. 1 in Germany and reached No. 7 on the U.S. pop charts.

Moore was honored as part of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museums’ Nashville Cats: A Celebration of Music City Session Players program, and was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame in 2007, along with other members of the Nashville A-Team.

“Bob Moore’s contributions to American music are incalculable,” shares Kyle Young, CEO, Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. “Raised in East Nashville, he was a musical master and the most-recorded bass player in country music history. As a key member of the much-vaunted ‘A-Team’ of Nashville session players, he was both an inspiration and an innovator. He was the heartbeat behind classics including Patsy Cline’s ‘Crazy,’ Sammi Smith’s ‘Help Me Make It Through the Night,’ Kenny Rogers’s ‘The Gambler,’ and hundreds of other recordings that changed the course of country music. He played with Johnny Cash, Tom T. Hall, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison, Carl Perkins, Elvis Presley and so many others, and he helped establish Monument Records, where he was a player, a producer, an arranger and a hit artist. He once said, ‘Anyone who has heard me play the bass knows my soul.’ We’re fortunate that he shared his soul with us for so many years.”

Memorial arrangements have not yet been announced.

Brandi Carlile, Sturgill Simpson, Black Pumas Win At 2021 Americana Honors & Awards

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Pictured (L-R): Amanda Shires and Maren Morris of The Highwomen, Yola, Brandi Carlile of The Highwomen, Jason Isbell and Natalie Hemby of The Highwomen perform onstage at the 20th Annual Americana Honors & Awards. Photo: Getty Images for the Americana Music Association

The Americana Music Association heralded its best and brightest at the 20th Annual Americana Honors & Awards at the Ryman Auditorium last night (Sept. 22), with Brandi Carlile taking home her second Americana trophy for Artist of the Year.

Other big winners of the night include Sturgill Simpson who won Album of the Year for his first bluegrass project, Cuttin’ Grass Vol. 1 – The Butcher Shoppe Sessions; the Black Pumas, who were named Duo/Group of the Year; and the late John Prine, whose song “I Remember Everything,” written by Pat McLaughlin and Prine, received Song Of The Year honors.

Charley Crockett received the award for Emerging Act of the Year while Kristin Weber, a 14-year veteran of worldwide touring and recording as a fiddler, was named Americana Instrumentalist of the Year.

“Given today’s uncertain times, there is no greater assurance that the power of music brings people together to uplift their spirits when they need it the most,” said Jed Hilly, Executive Director of the Americana Music Association. “I’m beyond proud of our artists and community for reminding me again why this is my favorite night of the year, every year.”

Keb Mo’ performs at the 20th Annual Americana Honors & Awards. Photo: Getty Images for the Americana Music Association

Highlights from the evening included a rendition of “I Believe” by the Fisk Jubilee Singers, as well as Carla Thomas offering a performance of her Stax Records staple, “B-A-B-Y.” The Mavericks delivered a sweeping Spanish performance of “La Sitiera,” and Carlile, Margo Price and Amanda Shires paid tribute to the great John Prine with a heartfelt take on “I Remember Everything.”

Throughout the night, attendees were treated to additional performances by Crockett, Steve Earle, Henry with O’Donovan, The Highwomen (Carlile, Natalie Hemby, Maren Morris, Shires) with Yola, Jason Isbell with Shires, Sarah Jarosz, Valerie June with Thomas, Amythyst Kiah, Buddy Miller, Keb’ Mo’, Price, Allison Russell and Aaron Lee Tasjan.

2021 Americana Honors & Awards Winners and Honorees:
Album of the Year: Cuttin’ Grass – Vol. 1 (The Butcher Shoppe Sessions), Sturgill Simpson
Artist of the Year: Brandi Carlile
Song of the Year: “I Remember Everything” John Prine, written by Pat McLaughlin and John Prine
Duo/Group of the Year: Black Pumas
Emerging Act of the Year: Charley Crockett
Instrumentalist of the Year: Kristin Weber
Legacy of Americana Award, presented in partnership with the National Museum of African American Music: Fisk Jubilee Singers
Trailblazer Award: The Mavericks
Lifetime Achievement Award for Performance: Keb’ Mo’
Lifetime Achievement Award for Producer/Engineer: Trina Shoemaker
Inspiration Award: Carla Thomas

Leah Turner Embraces Latin Heritage On New EP

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Leah Turner. Photo: Chelsea Thompson

CMT Next Women of Country alum Leah Turner is continuing to embrace her Latin heritage with her upcoming Lost In Translation EP, due out on Oct. 15.

The six-song project includes tracks like her 2020 single release “Once Upon a Time in Mexico,” “Vaquera and the Cowboy,” and the recently unveiled “Wax on the Table,” a sensual song co-written with Skip Black and produced by Andrew King.

“I want women to be able to embrace their sexuality and their sensuality. I want them to embrace the skin that God gave us, no matter what shape, size or color,” Turner says of the track. “We shouldn’t be ashamed because we feel like badass, strong women who love our skin and wanna love our man! Men do it all the time and are praised for it… I wanted power to come across in this song.”

Turner was originally discovered by Kenny Loggins and first produced by Grammy Award-winners Humberto Gatica and David Foster. Once moving to Nashville, she was promptly signed to Columbia Records while her debut single, “Take the Keys,” achieved Top 40 status on the Billboard Country chart and quickly accrued over 3 million Spotify streams. Turner has also had cuts with Cody Purvis, Kristy Lamb, and Academy Award-nominated actor Jeremy Renner.

Born to a rodeo champion father and a first generation Mexican-American mother, Turner marries the two backgrounds on Lost in Translation.

“The process was completely natural, given country music and the Latino culture both put such an emphasis on the value of faith, family, and hard work. A lot of the American cowboy traditions came from the vaquero, who was the original cowboy. So marrying the two seemed effortless, and gives a strong representation of who I am.” She sums, “Country music has always had a love affair with the Hispanic culture. I’m just the product of a good old-fashioned country song and the American dream.”

Leah Turner. Photo: Chelsea Thompson

 

Lost In Translation Track List:
Once Upon A Time In Mexico (Jesse Frasure, Leah Turner)
Wax On the Table ( Skip Black, Leah Turner)
Vaquera and the Cowboy ( Lamont Coleman, Leah Turner)
Vaya Con Dios ( Josh Ronen, Kylie Sackley, Leah Turner)
Lost In Translation ( Micheal August, Evan Coffman, Leah Turner)
Where Did All The Cowboys Go ( Andy Albert, Adam James, Leah Turner)

Dustin Lynch Signs With Warner Chappell Music

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Dustin Lynch

Country hitmaker Dustin Lynch has signed a new worldwide publishing agreement with Warner Chappell Music Nashville.

Lynch ended 2020 as Billboard’s third most-played artist on the Country Airplay chart. His fourth studio album, Tullahoma, delivered consecutive chart-toppers: Platinum “Ridin’ Roads” and Gold “Good Girl” – both co-written by Lynch, in addition to Top 5 “Momma’s House.” Since his breakout in 2012, he’s earned four Top 5 albums, eight Gold and Platinum certified singles, over 2.5 billion on-demand streams, and has achieved a total of seven No. 1 songs at country radio including “Small Town Boy,” which was also the longest reigning No. 1 of 2017 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart.

Ben Vaughn, President & CEO, WCM Nashville says, “If you know Dustin you know he’s all about his fans and delivering memorable songs they’ll be singing for years. As a songwriter, from his very first hit (the game-changing ‘Cowboys and Angels’), to ‘Good Girl’ and ‘Ridin’ Roads,’ to his current single (‘Thinking ‘Bout You’), he knows how to deliver a smash. I’ve had the pleasure of knowing him since he first came to Nashville and we’re all excited for the next part of his journey.”

Lynch’s latest release, “Thinking ‘Bout You (feat. MacKenzie Porter)” was co-written by Lynch, Will Weatherly, Hunter Phelps, and Andy Albert, and is currently Top 20 and rising at country radio.

“Dustin is one of the most consistent and exciting artist/writers in country music,” adds VP, A&R Strategy, WCM Nashville, Ryan Beuschel. “His raw talent and incredible work ethic have helped cement him as a regular atop the charts. There’s a lot more on the horizon and I’m looking forward to working alongside him.”

“Ben [Vaughn], Ryan [Beuschel], and the WCM Nashville team have been in my corner as long as anyone on Music Row,” sums Lynch. “I’m thrilled to align my dreams and goals with theirs and take this next chapter of making music to a whole new level. Keep an eye on what we start building together and may the hit train roll on!”