Country & Folk

All Now emerges from a period of chaos for the band that was followed by a period of enforced quiet. The Staves released their third album, Good Woman, in February 2021; it was an album of love and loss, written during a disconcerting period of turmoil and pain. “There was a delayed reaction to trauma and these big changes out of your control,” says Jess of the period that came after Good Woman, as the band—like the rest of us—were forced to sit with their thoughts. 

The Staveley-Taylors were also still processing the death of their mother and other seismic changes: Emily took a backseat on this album (while still contributing vocals on a handful of tracks) to focus on motherhood, while Camilla reckoned with her own mental and physical health issues, including chronic pain and a series of operations due to endometriosis, which began to take an increasing toll.

Struggling after two years of deep solitude and pain following the release of Good Woman, The Staves did what they know how to do best: they got back to writing with the idea of going back to basics and focusing almost solely on each other and their guitars as a starting point.

It began with Jess, navigating this new landscape by harnessing her creativity on her own, at first in the studio in Hackney at the end of 2022, then slowly luring Camilla back to the next chapter of The Staves, before reaching out to Congleton, who the band had worked with on Good Woman.

Langdon and Wil Reid, sons of Don and Harold Reid, of the legendary Statler Brothers, pay tribute to their roots and honor the legacy of their fathers with heartfelt renditions of hits including “I’ll Go to My Grave Loving You,” “The Class of ’57,” “I Walk the Line,” “In the Garden” and more. These cousins add their unique touch to these musical gems, showcasing their signature talents while continuing the family tradition of Statler Made tight harmonies and energetic arrangements.

Just 23 years old and already a seasoned veteran of Nashville’s elite songwriting community, Conner Smith has become one of Country’s most anticipated new artists, a talent mixing prime-of-life passion with old-soul perspective. Continuing to deliver next level music to his loyal fan base, Smith showcases his authentic storytelling and soulful voice throughout his full-length debut Smoky Mountains, featuring GOLD-certified “Take It Slow,” viral hit “I Hate Alabama” and chart climbing “Creek Will Rise.”

This new collection is a career spanner jampacked with 25 songs across two LPs, with each era of Willie’s illustrious six decade career chronicled. It includes massive hits like “On The Road Again,” “Always On My Mind” and “Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain” next to a number of his 21^st century gems, including latter day classics like “Ride Me Back Home” and “Roll Me Up.” It features classic collaborations with the likes of Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings and Julio Iglesias, Willie’s early versions of songs made famous by others in the early 60s like “Crazy” and “Night Life,” alongside interpretations of others’ songs that he made his own from Hoagy Carmichael’s “Stardust” to Arlo Guthrie’s “City Of New Orleans” to Pearl Jam’s “Just Breathe.”

Darius Rucker will be releasing his 6th Country Studio album- Carolyn’s Boy which will feature 14 songs including #1 song- “Beers and Sunshine” and his latest hit single- “Fire’s Don’t Start Themselves.” The album title is named after his mother. Rucker embarked on a successful solo career, applying his versatile baritone to acclaimed R&B and country efforts like the platinum-selling Learn to Live (2008) and True Believers (2013), and 2023's Carolyn’s Boy, which featured the hit single "Beers and Sunshine."

NOW Country-The Very Best Of (15^th Anniversary Edition) will be the latest installment in the popular NOW Country series. This is a compilation of the tracks from the each of the 15 NOW Country releases.  The project is a joint venture from Universal Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment. This release is part of the multi-platinum NOW That’s What I Call Music! compilation series and includes the world’s best-selling multi-artist albums with sales topping 250 million worldwide and 94 million in the U.S. Now That’s What I Call Country Collections have sold over 3.5 million. 

Jon Langston will be releasing his debut solo album, Heart On Ice, in September 2023. The album will feature 14 songs including “Whiskey Does” and  “Ain’t No Cowboy.” He picked up his guitar – untouched since eighth grade – and re-taught himself how to play. Performing at open mic nights and honing his songwriting led to the 2013 release of “Forever Girl,” the first song he ever wrote, which is now certified GOLD by the RIAA. That release kicked off his music career, culminating in sold out shows across the country and over 500 million career streams. Langston signed a publishing deal with Sony ATV, management with KP Entertainment, and is the first artist signed under Luke Bryan’s label 32 Bridge Entertainment with EMI Records Nashville.

Kip Moore’s second studio album, Wild Ones, was released in 2015 and features 16 tracks, including the singles “I’m To Blame” and “Running For You.” This Deluxe Edition 2 LP set is pressed on crystal blue colored vinyl on contains the bonus tracks "What I Do," "Backseat" and "Burn The Whole World Down."

Come On Over is the top-selling country album and the highest-sold album by a female artist of all time. In celebration of the album’s 25^th anniversary and over 40M global sales, the US version of the album has been remastered from the original tapes for the first time ever. Now available on 180g black vinyl.

Josh Turner will be releasing his first ever Greatest Hits on September 8^th that will include 11 of his biggest and greatest hits.  With his deep bass voice, Turner has sold more than six and a half million records, reached 5.5 billion global streams, and has become a favorite and unforgettable hitmaker on country radio. With timeless songs like “Long Black Train” and “Why Don’t We Just Dance,” Turner’s five No. 1 singles include “Your Man,” of which the official music video surpassed 168 million views.  Also includes “Would You Go with Me”, “Hometown Girl”, “Time Is Love”, and 5 other Hits.

The Steel Woods, the renowned Southern rock band, have captivated audiences with their powerful sound and heartfelt lyrics over their past three albums. With their fourth album, On Your Own Time, they embark on a poignant and emotional journey loosely following the trajectory of Uncle Lloyd, a charming but dissolute character first introduced on the Woods' debut album, 2017’s Straw in the Wind. This ambitious album not only showcases their musical evolution and episodic storytelling abilities but also serves as a tribute to the vision and legacy of their late co-founder, Jason "Rowdy" Cope, who passed away just before the release of their third album, All of Your Stones. Led by Wes Bayliss, the band's guitarist, lead vocalist and co-founder, The Steel Woods have poured their heart and soul into this album, creating a record that reflects their resilience, growth, and unwavering spirit.

Following the release of his new single “Standing Room Only,” three-time Grammy® winner and superstar Tim McGraw’s 17th studio album of the same name, Standing Room Only, will release on August 25, 2023. McGraw has sold more than 89 million records worldwide, has dominated the charts with 46 #1 singles and is the most-played country artist since his debut in 1992.

Bluegrass is a brand new studio album that captures a dozen classic Willie Nelson compositions--including "On the Road Again," "Yesterday's Wine," "Still is Still Moving to Me," "Good Hearted Woman" and more--freshly interpreted by Willie and an ensemble of crack players. In a seven decade career that has seen him explore genres from one end of the musical spectrum to the other, this is his first full album dedicated to genre. Willie and longtime producer Buddy Cannon, picked personal and fan favorite compositions from across his career to perform anew for this salute to the Appalachian old-time string band music which profoundly influenced Willie's songwriting sensibilities and the direction of American country music in general. Using his own catalog as source material, Willie chose songs combining the kind of strong melodies, memorable storylines and tight ensemble-interplay found in traditional bluegrass interpretations of the roots of American folk songs. With Bluegrass, Willie uncovers new truths in his own songs.

Golden State, the second full-length from singer/songwriter Logan Ledger, marks a stylistic departure from the timeless country noir of Ledger’s critically lauded debut. This time around, Ledger worked with producer Shooter Jennings, dreaming up a lush and spirited sound partly inspired by the California country-rock scene of the late-’60s and early-’70s. The result is a sublime setting for Ledger’s layered meditations on loss and despair and the search for transcendence.

Multiplatinum-selling artist Chris Janson is known for his unabashed and raucous style both as a songwriter and performer. His free-spirited approach has captivated country music’s newest generation and his latest album, The Outlaw Side of Me, is turning up the heat. Each track on the album was carefully selected to showcase who Janson is as a man and performer – from the reflective sentimental like “All I Need Is You” to the barn burner “Tap That,” this album is a tapestry of Chris Janson.

Little Songs is the highly anticipated new album from Canadian singer-songwriter, Colter Wall. On Little Songs, fans of Wall’s will find the same hardscrabble voice they’ve loved over the years connecting the contemporary world to the values, hardships, and celebrations of rural life. The album is produced by Wall and Patrick Lyons, and features 8 new original songs, as well as two fan-favorite covers – Hoyt Axton’s “Evangelina” and Ian Tyson’s “The Coyote & The Cowboy.” 

Little Songs is an upbeat, sometimes somber glimpse into the rural work and social life of the Canadian West, and, more so than with previous albums, opens emotional turns as mature and heartening as the resonant baritone voice writing and singing them. 

Reba McEntire will be releasing her companion album to her upcoming book-"Not That Fancy: Simple Lessons on Living, Loving, Eating, and Dusting Off Your Boots" which will be released on October 6th. All songs are stripped down/acoustic versions of some of her biggest hits and was produced by Grammy Winning producer, Dave Cobb. It will also include 3 new classic stripped down/acoustic songs that have never been released, and it will also include a brand-new song- "Seven Minutes in Heaven".

LUCKY is the debut album from rising Nashville star, Megan Moroney. The album is produced by Kristian Bush, and is a showcase of Megan’s distinctive voice and honest, conversational lyrics.

Buzz has been building around Megan Moroney since the release of the hit track and video, “Tennessee Orange.” She is the 2023 CMT Award winner for Female Breakout Video of the Year has been dubbed a “2023 Artist to Watch,” as well as one of CMT’s Next Women of Country for 2023 calling her “a musical risktaker with powerhouse pipes.”

Speaking about LUCKY, Megan said, "If you know anything about me and my story, a lot of things (both good and bad) happened to get me to where I am today, and I just feel very lucky. I couldn’t live out this dream without the support of my fans, family, and team. I can’t wait to bring these songs on the road with me this year & I hope everyone loves them as much as I do!”

NOW That's What I Call Country, Volume 16 is the latest installment in the popular NOW series and features the latest songs from today's country superstars. This project is a joint venture from Universal Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment. This release is part of the multiplatinum NOW That's What I Call Music! compilation series with sales topping 250 million copies worldwide and 94 million in the U.S. alone. NOW That's What I Call Country collections have sold over 3 million copies.

NOW That’s What I Call Country Classics: 90’s Dance Party will be the latest installment in the popular NOW series and the 4^th in the Country Classics series.  The project is a joint venture from Universal Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment. This release is part of the multi-platinum NOW That’s What I Call Music! compilation series, the world’s best-selling multi-artist albums with sales topping 250 million worldwide and 94 million in the U.S. Now That’s What I Call Country Collections have sold over 3.5 million.  NOW Country Classics: 90’s Dance Party will include country superstars- Shania Twain, George Strait, Reba McEntire, Vince Gill, Brooks-n-Dunn, and many more.

A collection of unreleased songs from Kenny Rogers' archives that tells the story of the love, life, loss and faith between Kenny and his wife, Wanda, and their two children. The album features the long sought after "Goodbye" written by Lionel Richie, interpretations of Eric Clapton's "Wonderful Tonight" and "I Wish It Would Rain" originally recorded by The Temptations, and "Tell Me That You Love Me" a lost duet between Kenny and Dolly Parton.

In a time when the popular choice is to chase the double yellow line down the road to country radio, Boy Named Banjo thrives on its fringes. The Nashville-raised five-piece is a fusion of contemporary country, Americana and folk-rock stacked on a foundation of bluegrass. The band, which has been together in some iteration since members were in high school, includes Barton Davies (banjo), Ford Garrard (bass/standing bass), Sam McCullough (drums) Willard Logan (mandolin, acoustic/electric guitar) and William Reames (acoustic guitar/harmonica). Reames and Logan played in a middle school garage rock band together, but it wasn't until Reames met Davies in high school that Boy Named Banjo started taking shape. Garrard and McCullough joined later and together the five guys comprise the band Boy Named Banjo that we know today. Boy Named Banjo has crafted a sound that incorporates an energetic blend of country, bluegrass, alt-rock, and folk-pop telling their stories through an honest, emotional, roots-driven perspective. In April 2020, Boy Named Banjo signed a record deal with Mercury Records Nashville and released their debut EP, Circles, the following year. Boy Named Banjo spent 2022 on the road playing some of country music’s largest festivals including Dierks Bentley’s Seven Peaks and Country Jam, Kip Moore’s Fire on Wheels Tour, they made their CMA Fest debut playing at the Ascend Amphitheatre Nighttime Concert, and played a sold-out hometown show at Nashville’s Brooklyn Bowl. The band most recently released the tracks “Heart In Motion” and “Heart Attack,” and is currently prepping its next project to be released in spring of this year.

10 Year Anniversary Edition of Sturgill Simpson's debut album High Top Mountain. The anniversary edition includes an "Old King Coal" blacked out album cover with a glossy embossed jacket, and is pressed on translucent black vinyl. Sturgill Simpson's authenticity stands out like an island of hope in a sea of tacky. Pure and uncompromising, devoid of gloss and fakery. High Top Mountain’s dozen instant classics evoke the sound of timeless country in its many guises and brings back the lyrical forthrightness and depth that permeated the music Simpson absorbed during his Kentucky childhood. Bonafide mountain hillbilly soul, as pure as you are going to find anywhere.

Over 3 decades ago, Peter One was a STAR. A country music star, in West Africa. With his singing partner Jess Sah Bi, Peter played to sold out arenas. In 1985, Our Garden Needs Its Flowers, launched the two Ivory Coast musicians into regional stardom across greater West Africa. Now solo, Peter One ultimately decided to emigrate to the US to further his music career. Come Back to Me features songs in English, French and his native African language. 

Kip Moore will be releasing his 5th studio album, Damn Love, on April 28, 2023. The album will feature 13 tracks including the single “Kinda Bar.” Kip Moore’s four studio albums include: Up All Night, Wild Ones, Slowheart, and Wild World. Moore has charted a total of 12 entries on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay charts including the number-one "Somethin' 'Bout a Truck" and four additional top-ten hits. He has also written songs for Frankie Ballard, Thompson Square, and James Wesley.

Multiplatinum-selling recording artist Josh Turner is celebrating the 20th anniversary of his hit album, Long Black Train, and the album’s lead single of the same name, which were both certified Platinum by the RIAA. On May 19, 2023, the album will be released on vinyl for the first time to coincide with the anniversary of the single’s original 2003 release date.

Morgan Wallen's 3rd studio album, One Thing At A Time, is set for release via Big Loud/Mercury/Republic on 3/3/23. Wallen's 36-song, deeply personal album combines his musical influences (country/alternative/hip-hop). With so much new music, the stage is set for his 63-date/30 stadium One Night At A Time World Tour. This album follows the success of his 4x platinum, Dangerous: The Double Album, which notched historical chart status at Billboard's longest running Top 10 album for a solo artist.

“I know that I have never allowed myself to write and release songs as personal as these now feel to me.” – Joe Henry

Joe Henry is one of those artists you are rarely able to find nowadays. He is passionate about his work, unbelievably talented in multiple ways and a grand singer-songwriter, not to forget a Grammy award winning producer. The prolific singer has been reshaping the definition of American folk music. Adored for his wise and thoughtful lyrics and music, he always manages to find the right words and right tunes. Not only is Joe Henry a successful musician, but he also produced albums for artists ranging from Solomon Burke (Grammy Award!), Hugh Laurie, Aimee Mann, Rodney Crowell to Elvis Costello.

“All The Eye Can See” was mainly self-recorded at Joe Henry’s home during a phase of worldwide lockdowns. Henry: “I assumed as I began this process that, owing to circumstances, I would be making the most skeletal album of my career; when in fact, I have in many ways made my most expansive record to date.”

On “All The Eye Can See”, Henry is joined by more than 20 musicians, among them his trusted long-time musical companions and friends – Levon Henry on saxophone & clarinet, David Piltch on bass, Patrick Warren on piano & keys and John Smith on acoustic guitar.

It is an intimate album, highly emotional, amazingly quiet, beautiful, and relaxed, with simple yet skillful tunes, touching lyrics featuring 12 new and unforgettable songs, framed by an instrumental prelude and prologue.