Every week, the Wide Open Country team rounds up our favorite newly released country, folk, bluegrass and Americana songs. Here are six songs we currently have on repeat.
"Heartbeat," Jacob Bryant
Fast-rising country artist Jacob Bryant tells deeply personal stories on Bar Stool Preacher (out Jan. 14 via Thirty Tigers), whether he's sharing the addiction-conquering triumph in "Devil & an Old Six String" or, more recently, revealing his more sensitive and sensual side with "Heartbeat."
Bryant spills his emotions throughout the latter while describing an ideal sequence of romantic events shared with a special someone while sheltered in place.
"When I sat down to write this song, I initially had the idea of writing it about hearing my daughter's heartbeat for the first time," Bryant told Taste of Country for the music video's premiere. "Once we started writing, this song took a totally different direction. It ended up being a passionate song about being with your spouse, lighting some candles, closing the world off and waking up on them listening to their heartbeat."
— Bobby Moore
"Just a Closer Walk With Thee," Brent Cobb
Brent Cobb previewed his first collection of twanged-up sacred songs with "Just a Closer Walk With Thee," a traditional hymn with deep roots in country music.
A gospel standard that likely originated in African American churches in the South entered the country canon in 1950 when it became a million-seller for Red Foley.
Since then, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Patsy Cline, Roy Acuff, Johnny Paycheck, Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wynette lent their voices to one of the best and most Biblically-grounded songs about a personal relationship with Christ.
Cobb's And Now, Let's Turn To Page... arrives on Jan. 28.
— Bobby Moore
"Holy Water," Brett Eldredge
Despite the business of the holiday season and releasing his new album Mr. Christmas, Brett Eldredge surprised fans on Christmas Eve with "Holy Water." Written with Mark Trussell and Heather Morgan, the new song, which will be included on his upcoming 2022 album, has a message of hope, faith and redemption. Its empowering lyrics lift you up, just like Eldredge in his new music video.
You are my holy water
You are my river thee
Wash me away and take me higher
'Cause somethin' 'bout your love just sets me free
— Courtney Fox
"Champagne Problem," Haley Mae Campbell
Not to be confused with Taylor Swift's "Champagne Problems," this new song from Haley Mae Campbell is just plain fun and exactly what I needed to kick off my year. Its cheeky lyrics make you excited to get together with your friends or even to enjoy a drink at home. It's the fun party anthem you'll be listening to on repeat (if you're anything like me).
Whiskey's whatever, I can take it or leave it
Tequila's a little better, but I still don't really need it
I'll sip on beer, but it don't get my head rockin'
Like those bubbles in a bottle, yeah
Now we're talkin'
— Courtney Fox
"Heartbreak Rodeo," Cora Jane Sugarman
Cora Jane Sugarman laments living with a partner with one foot out the door on the gorgeous, ethereal "Heartbreak Rodeo."
"Waiting on your luck to change/ You could spending all your best days in somebody else's game/ Savin' your gold up for his change/ Wanna kick up the dust and say you're done, but the feelin' just won't fade, Sugarman sings. "When it hurts to hold on, but it hurts to let him go/ Just another night at the Heartbreak Rodeo."
— Bobbie Jean Sawyer
"Y'all Means All," Miranda Lambert
Miranda Lambert helped ring in the new year and celebrate the latest season of Queer Eye (which was filmed in Lambert's homestate of Texas) with the release of "Y'all Means All," an LGBTQ+ country anthem filled with Lambert's sharp wit. (The lyric video, featuring the Queer Eye cast, is equally delightful.)
"Yes, queen/ Go, queen/ Dip it like a Dairy Queen/ Put your inhibitions in a big U-Haul" Lambert sings. "Goodwill, Gucci, Where my Chattahoochees? Out in the country, honey, y'all means all."
Penned by Lambert, Shane McAnally and Luke Dick, "Y'all Means All" is perfect for a night out at Austin's Broken Spoke, which just happens to be featured in the first episode of Queer Eye's sixth season.
— Bobbie Jean Sawyer
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