Country & Folk

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.

Indie Exclusive Transluscent Blue. Country Music Hall of Famer, five-time Grammy-winner, and AMA Lifetime Achievement honoree Marty Stuart picks up where he left off on Altitude, his first new album in five years, exploring a cosmic country landscape populated by dreamers and drifters, misfits and angels, honky-tonk heroes and lonesome lovers. There's a desert flare to the music here, a sweeping, spacious feel that conjures up wide-open horizons and endless stretches of two-lane highway, and the production is raw and cinematic to match, tipping it's cap both to Bakersfield and Laurel Canyon as it balances jangle and twang in equal measure. While it would be easy for an artist as accomplished as Stuart to rest on his laurels, Altitude instead showcases the work of a searcher with an insatiable appetite for growth and reflection, one whose ambition, much like his keen wit and rich imagination, only seems to grow with each and every release. Born and raised in Philadelphia, MS, Stuart got his start in bluegrass legend Lester Flatts' band at the tender age of thirteen, and by twenty-one, he was working in the studio and on the road with Johnny Cash. Though Stuart built his early reputation backing up royalty, it wasn't long before Nashville recognized him as a star in his own right, and over the course of forty-plus years as a solo artist, he would go on to release more than twenty major label albums, scoring platinum sales, hit singles, and just about every honor the industry can bestow along the way.

Singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Parker McCollum is following up his breakout major label debut, Gold Chain Cowboy, with his forthcoming studio album, Never Enough, out May 12 (MCA Nashville). McCollum earned his first-ever No. 1 hit with his double-platinum certified premiere single, “Pretty Heart,” and his follow-up gold certified single, “To Be Loved by You,” also hit No. 1 on the charts.

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. 

Kacey Musgraves will be releasing a limited edition Zoetrope Picture Disc Vinyl in celebrating the 10th Anniversary of her debut Platinum and Grammy winning album- Same Trailer Different Park. The album went to #1 on the Country Album Charts when it was released in 2013. Kacey co-wrote all 12 tracks and co-produced the album with Luke Laird and Shane McAnally. Album won the Grammy award for the Best Country Album at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards. The album featured the break-out singles- “Merry Go Round”, “Blowin’ Smoke”, and “Follow Your Arrow”.

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.

Just nine months after his 3x Grammy-nominated record Growin’ Up was released, reigning CMA Entertainer of the Year Luke Combs is back with a new companion album, Gettin’ Old, releasing March 24 via River House Artists/Columbia Nashville. In advance of the release, lead track, “Growin’ Up and Gettin’ Old,” written by Combs, Rob Snyder and Channing Wilson, is out now.

Produced by Combs, Chip Matthews and Jonathan Singleton, Gettin’ Old is Combs’ fourth full-length album following 2022’s Growin’ Up, 2019’s 3x Platinum What You See is What You Get and his 4x Platinum debut, This One’s For You. Across these eighteen new tracks, Combs continues to establish himself as one of music’s most authentic and powerful voices, as he reaches new lyrical depths exploring themes of family, legacy, love and personal growth.

“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.

While Black influences are inextricably intertwined with the formation of the genre, there is a very short list of Black country performers who made a splash on the national charts or the public consciousness in the 20th century. After winning the 1974 "Trucker's Jamboree" at the Hollywood Palladium, Inglewood California firefighter Howdy Glenn began a recording career that not only gained him regional hits on an independent label, but found him appearing to rapturous crowds whenever and wherever he performed live. After singing at the Academy of Country Music's general meeting, he was signed to Warner Bros. Records by Andy Wickham (who had also signed Joni Mitchell, Gram Parsons, Emmylou Harris, Buck Owens, and more). Warner Bros. Released his first Wickham-produced single in 1977. His second, a cover of Willie Nelson's "Touch Me," spent six weeks on the charts. Glenn headlined at Gilley's in Pasadena, Texas, and found himself nominated for the ACM's Top New Male Vocalist award. It appeared as though country music had a possible new star on the rise. But, as happens inexplicably for some artists, after a few singles, and more material left in the can, a new album from "The Singing Fireman" (as he was dubbed by Warner Bros.) never materialized. Glenn's early singles were compiled on the Indian Head label LP I Can Almost See Houston, and he recorded another single, released on his own Fire Records imprint. Both failed to land further success, and Glenn continued on with his career in firefighting. I Can Almost See Houston: The Complete Howdy Glenn collects all the recordings and reexamines the importance and legacy of Howdy Glenn. Containing all 8 of his singles, plus 6 newly mixed, previously unissued tracks from the Warner Bros. #vaults, plus an outtake from his Fire Records sessions, this 23-track collection was Produced for release by Grammy® nominee Scott B. Bomar (The Bakersfield Sound) and Grammy® winner Cheryl Pawelski (Hank Williams - The Garden Spot Programs, 1950). With Restoration and Mastering by Grammy® winner Michael Graves, the packaging contains photos, ephemera, and new liner notes from Bomar, outlining not only a brief history of Black artists in country music, but Howdy Glenn's rightful place in the story.

Dierks Bentley will release his 10th studio album on Capitol Records Nashville on February 24, 2022. The brand-new album will include 14 songs and features duets with Ashley McBryde and Billy Strings. His latest hit single, “Gold,” is currently rising on the Country charts. Dierks has sold over 10M albums worldwide and garnered over 4.2B streams. He has 21 #1 songs, 3 CMA Awards, 14 GRAMMY nominations and is a member of the Grand Ole Opry.

Amongst the nearly 150 albums that Willie Nelson has released, he has a number of amazing full-album tributes to songwriters from Kris Kristofferson and George Gershwin to Ray Price and Cindy Walker. Adding to that list is a new studio album dedicated to songwriting legend Harlen Howard who has scores of country hits including a number that crossed over to pop and even R&B charts. A member of both the Country Music Hall of Fame and Songwriters Hall Of Fame, Howard wrote hits for Ray Charles (“Busted”), Buck Owens (“I’ve Got A Tiger By The Tail”), Conway Twitty (the title track), Bobby Bare (“The Streets Of Baltimore”) and so many more. Produced by longtime collaborator Buddy Cannon and featuring a murderers’ row of crack Nashville musicians, I Don’t Know A Thing About Love is an amazing addition to Willie’s unparalleled catalog.

Jordan Davis will release his 2nd studio album, Bluebird Days, on February 17, 2022. The highly anticipated album features 17 songs, including the #1 double-platinum CMA Song of the Year, "Buy Dirt" feat. Luke Bryan. The hit song (about faith, family and friends) continues to resonate with fans worldwide, topping the Country Radio Airplay chart, amassing over 735M global streams and earning NSAI Song of the Year. Also featured is the #1 Country hit, "What My World Spins Around."

Opening up a new era of anything-goes expression, Florida Georgia Line spent 10 years as one of Country's most influential acts, and their first-ever Greatest Hits package shows how. With 18 tracks (including 3 previously unreleased), tailgate-dropping party anthems meet tender romantic ballads, all offering style and substance in equal parts. From Country's first diamond-certified single "Cruise," to redefined sonic boundaries, a dynamic legacy emerges - one that still refuses to be contained.

Tyler Hubbard will be releasing his debut solo album on January 27^th. With 19 No. 1 singles on country radio, countless awards, and sold-out tours, Tyler Hubbard has already had a remarkable career as a songwriter and as one half of multi-platinum duo Florida Georgia Line. Now, Hubbard is embarking on a solo career with his debut solo album Tyler Hubbard. The 18-track album includes his hit single “5 Foot 9” and the songs “Dancin’ In The Country” and “Small Town Me”. The self-titled project was produced by Hubbard and Jordan Schmidt with Hubbard writing on all of the tracks.  This Double LP will be special Cobalt Blue Vinyl.

Five-time GRAMMY® award winning and multi-platinum selling icon, Shania Twain, announces her new album, Queen Of Me, out February 3, 2023 on Republic Nashville, a division of Republic Records. Her sixth original full-length album, Queen Of Me, is the superstar's most triumphant-feeling body of work; an album about standing in your own power and worshipping yourself. Its lead single “Waking Up Dreaming” was co-written and produced with BTS hitmaker David Stewart.

Chris Stapleton’s never-before-released song, “I’m A Ram,” which is featured in the national TV commercial for RAM trucks, will be available on a limited edition 7” vinyl single exclusive to indie retailers. It also includes a live version of this classic Al Green song.