Author: Brennen Kelly

Brad Paisley is no stranger to hit records. Whether it’s his classic 2003 album, Mud On the Tires, or 2011’s This Is Country Music, Paisley has been a country music staple for the better part of three decades. However, one of his best entries has to be his 2007 record, 5th Gear, which came out 16 years ago today. 5th Gear is arguably Paisley at his most successful. Everything that he is known for and excels in are in full display throughout the record. There are plenty of tongue-in-cheek, hilarious tracks such as Ticks, Mr. Policeman and Online. The guitar…

Less than two weeks after teasing a brand new single with a mystery feature, Carly Pearce is back with We Don’t Fight Anymore and she’s joined by fellow superstar and Grammy winner, Chris Stapleton. In an Instagram post announcing the release date and Stapleton’s appearance, Pearce said, “This song embodies a place that I think, if we are honest with ourselves, we’ve all felt at some point in a relationship. The distance that feels heartbreaking, yet you’re also indifferent. I’ve always been a writer who never wanted to shy away from the “uncomfortable” moments in all of our lives, and…

Out of all of the fantastic songs in Charles Wesley Godwin’s deep discography, Cranes of Potter stands out as one of the most captivating and chill-inducing of them all. The post-Civil War murder ballad is a classic in the making for Godwin, detailing a deadly love triangle with fantastic imagery and world-building throughout. In an exclusive interview with Country Chord, Godwin discussed the real-world origins of the song and the inspiration behind it. The story begins with him being captivated by the landscape of Beaver County, Pennsylvania, “It was kind of like sparked by reality. There’s a shell cracker plant…

The name Jason Isbell carries a very heavy weight in the country sphere. Often associated with his staunch liberal politics and masterful lyricism, he is arguably one of the most polarizing figures in the entire genre. Despite the polarity, he is often recognized as one of the greatest songwriters of the generation and consistently creates some of the most captivating and thought-provoking songs around today. Weathervanes is the fifth studio album for Isbell along with the 400 Unit and his eighth album overall. Coming three years after his previous entry, Reunions, Weathervanes ultimately feels like Isbell taking the extremely personal…

Aidan Canfield, a 20-year-old singer/songwriter from Pleasantville, New York, is quickly making a name for himself in the independent country scene. While it seems like every other week there are new, exciting artists to discover from Sam Barber to Wyatt Flores to Tucker Knisell, Canfield once again proves the immense amount of talent present in this generation’s crop of independent country artists. Being featured in an earlier independent artist spotlight, Canfield has had a relatively quick rise. The 20-year-old has gone from posting covers on TikTok to opening up for Riley Green in just over two years. Like many during…

Less than a year after releasing his debut album, We Were Cowboys, Kameron Marlowe is back with a brand new song, I Can Lie (The Truth Is). Marlowe took to Instagram on June 1st to tease the song, noting how it was one of his favorite songs that he’s released so far. The caption proclaims that it is “time to bring classic country back.” Marlowe describes the song in an Instagram post as something Waylon Jennings or Willie Nelson may have performed with the caption reading, “I grew up on classic country so I’m pretty damn proud to put out…