4 Songs I Think You Should Hear 

I listen to a lot of new Americana and Country music. As much as I can without getting overwhelmed. Even at that, there is so much to discover and fall in love with. If you'll let me, I want to share with you 4 songs that I think you might like or will at least find interesting.

4) Soul Living On - Lucas Pasley (feat. Martha Spencer & Kyle Dean Smith

 From the album "Soul Living On"

I have to preface this by saying, yes my uber talented cousin Kyle Dean Smith plays on this song, but even if he was a total stranger, the words and melody would have moved me the same. Lucas Pasley's Soul Living On is a family affair. All of the 15 tracks on the album are written by him or members of his family. The accompanying video is home movies of Pasley's family and sets a perfect backdrop to the bittersweet meaning of the song. The music itself and the sweet mountain stylings of Miss Martha Spencer paint the song in sepia and make it somehow timeless and a tune as familiar as the hills themselves. 

3) Irene - Ian Noe

From the album "Between The Country"

Kentucky is a hot bed these days of amazing singer songwriters. Not all of them though can write like Ian Noe. His major debut, Between The Country, came out in 2017 and was top to bottom one of my favorite records that year. If you imagine John Prine writing about meth-heads, you'll have small idea of the kind of tunes Ian Noe writes. This one in particular has a drunken sing along style chorus that's as infectious as the song's content; a story about an alcoholic family member that keeps showing up causing drama. 

2) Road To You - Micky & The Motor Cars

From the album "Long Time Comin'"

A good friend of mine just recently bought me a copy of Red Dirt: Roots Music Born in Oklahoma, Raised in Texas, At Home Anywhere. I love Red Dirt country music and here's a great example of a track that could be used a jumping off point for someone new to the genre. I'm no expert, but Micky & The Motor Cars are some of the great Red Dirt royalty and are members of the storied Braun family. When the chorus of this country rock driver hits, you feel yourself windows down, driving across Oklahoma, mid July on the way to a Cody Canada show. That's a nice feeling when the leaves are falling in October here in the Blue Ridge.

1) Manifesto - Kyle Nix

From the album "Lightning on the Mountain & Other Short Stories"

It's wonderful to hear the Evan Felker is clean and sober and writing. Maybe someday we'll get the word that the Troubadours are getting back together. I do pray for that day. That's a live show that I always seemed to have missed and would love to make up for that. In the meantime though, we have Kyle Nix's amazing debut album Lightning on the Mountain & Other Short Stories. Nix is known for burning up the bow as a member of the Turnpike Troubadours, but here, he adds songwriting to his list of skills. Each song is another story and this one in particular has stuck with me from the first day I listened. It tells the story of a family that has served in the military for generations and how eventually, that comes to an end.

That's all for this installment of 4 Songs I Think You Should Hear. Check out the links to support the artists!