Each week the Wide Open Country staff rounds up our favorite newly released country and Americana songs. Here are five new songs we can't stop listening to this week:
"Forever's Not That Long," Ashley Campbell
While it's easy to lump Glen Campbell's banjo picking, country singing daughter Ashley in with West Coast performers, her latest song "Forever's Not That Long" sounds like a homage to the Nashville Sound. The same touch of class associated with Patsy Cline, Ray Price and others gets flavored by Marty Robbins' Hawaiian influences throughout this throwback track.
—Bobby Moore
"The Older I Get," Susan McCann
Susan McCann, Ireland's undisputed first lady of country and Irish music, cut a cover of "The Older I Get" that sounds more like a '90s throwback than the Alan Jackson original. That should come as no surprise, as McCann tends to do a great job with songs associated with her American peers. For proof, look up her version of Dolly Parton's "Coat of Many Colors."
—Bobby Moore
"Come Around," Kim Richey
Kim Richey ranks among the best living songwriters, with past work including Trisha Yearwood's "Believe Me Baby (I Lied)" and Brooks & Dunn's "Every River." Her recording career, which dates back to the mid-'90s, continues with the album A Long Way Back- Songs of Glimmer, out March 27. For a taste of things to come and an example of Richey's vivid storytelling, get lost in alluring new version of "Come Around." You might remember the song from Kevin Costner's 1999 film For the Love of the Game.
—Bobby Moore
"You Kissed Me First," Carly Pearce
Just in time for Valentine's Day, Carly Pearce released "You Kissed Me First," a flirty, bubbly tune which chronicles the first night two lovers met. The song is featured on Pearce's forthcoming self-titled album (out on Feb. 14), which also includes previously released songs "Closer to You," "Heart's Going Out of Its Mind," "Call Me" and "It Won't Always Be Like This."
— Bobbie Jean Sawyer
"LA," Kelsea Ballerini
"I've got some famous friends that I could call but I don't know if I'm cool enough," Kelsea Ballerini sings on "LA." "And what's worse than spending time alone is one of them not picking up." Most of us will never have the numbers of celebrities in our phone, but anxiety, doubt and wondering if we're cool enough for the party are nearly universal experiences. "LA," one of the most vulnerable songs Ballerini has released yet, is the latest release from her forthcoming album Kelsea (out on March 20).
— Bobbie Jean Sawyer
Now Watch: The Best Country Love Songs of All Time
