Six country/Americana singer songwriters to celebrate the summer

Wilder Woods – “Supply and Demand (Acoustic)”
-This track from NeedToBreathe’s Bear Rinehart again echoes the soul of the South. There’s a seriousness to the vocal style here that shows years of performance and quality. Even the guitar comes across as effortless, even though it’s a difficult syncopated bluesy track with some lead guitar expressions. This is a top class performance that’s sure to have a lot of folks following the newly rising Wilder Woods brand.

Nick County – “Racetrack”
-This song is about making good choices to care for your family. It’s about romance, gambling, and the promise of success. I’ve never really heard such a plaintive, honest song about gambling. County’s style reminds me a bit of the honesty that I love in Rayland Baxter’s work. This is a really fascinating Americana track.

Blane Dunnam – “For you my love”
-I am really glad we got a chance to hear Blane Dunnam’s sincere songwriting style. There’s a solid quality about Dunnam’s vocal here. He clearly has a grasp of the message of the song and delivers the lyrics with conviction. It’s nice to hear a romance song that holds passion inherent in it. It’s classic folk country and we’re happy to support it.

Mike Riley – “Drug Dealer”
-When I first heard this song I almost said no thanks due to the title and theme. I don’t typically support the glorification of drug culture, but I gave it a spin. I came to realize what the song is really about; it’s a lament about economic desperation. This is the reality of so many people in the United States these days. It’s a hard, sad song. I love how much Riley channels a sincere songwriting style that puts me in mind of Noah Gundersen and David Ramirez.

Zephaniah Stringfield – “I’ll see you when I see you (if I do)”
-We don’t get much bluegrass these days, but I was super pleased to hear Zephaniah Stringfield’s bluegrass-infused Americana song. It’s definitely got the right kind of message, wonderful beat, and some clever harmonies in the mix. Even the gosh darn string breaks will put a smile on your face! It’s a wholistically Americana track that is sure to get a lot of people tapping their toes. Whoever wrote the backup vocal lines earned a drink from me. I hope to catch these cats live some day. Good stuff.

Corey Kilgannon – “The Oasis”
-Kilgannon has been around the music industry for a long time. He’s not a “rising star” quite like some of the others we feature on this site. But hot damn this is one of the best songs we’ve heard from him in a long time. There’s a charming Americana style here, despite the dripping sarcastic lyrics. I love how the palatable musical style pulls the listener into lyrics about how difficult life on the road is in the end. It’s a hidden gem.