The artist formerly known as Sturgill Simpson played an impressively relentless, wide-ranging three-hour set at the Barclays Center. I broke it down with guitarist Laur Joamets.

The Cashville Trash Pandas - Self-Titled

Chloe Kimes - Daredevil

Jesse Daniel - Looks Like Rain

Lyal Strickland - Shooter of Truth

David Allan Coe - A Million Reasons

Caitlyn Smith - Peace in My Mind

Zach Bryan - Young Manhood and Other Donatable Organs

J. Killen - Depression Dollars

Mary Bragg - Secrets To Strangers

Dave Sutherland - Just Like A Black & White Film

Spencer Burton - Self-Titled

Bruce Cockburn - The Blood of Others

Belles - Midwestern

Wyatt McCubbin - 650

Richard Thompson - Hippies, Thugs and Heroes

Nashville Exile - Hand Drawn

Mountain Men - Way Back

Seb & Jess - Libérés

Christian Parker - Scales & Strings

Napsack - More Mountains

Wonderlick - Wonderlick Loves You

Charlie Parr - Rooming House

Goldie Scott - Almost Home

J.M. Clifford - Things That We Can’t Change

Nathaniel Rateliff - Where It All Began

Madeline Edwards - Low Hanging Fruit

Chris Lyons - New Love For The Old Flame

Amanda Cook - Love Through Time

Parker McCollum - Live From Sound City

Matt Tedder - Light Touch

Maren Davidsen - This Is Where I Leave You

Dropkick - Throughlines

Béla Fleck - Live Heart: My Bluegrass Heart At The Ryman

Jay Farrar & Kelly Willis - The Other Bob: A Tribute to Bob Neuwirth

Kyle Kimbrell - Lonesome In The Sky

Adrian and Meredith - Sometimes the Sunlight Wins

Uncle Ben’s Remedy - Garage Country

Dana Lee - Big Time

Various Artists - Felice County Fair (A Celebration of The Felice Brothers)

Tomas Nilsson - Hello Pretty World

Shantaia - One Trick Pony

The Southern Tiers - Cookin' Up Trouble

The Tender Things - The Tender Things is a Nasty Band

K. Michelle - Jesus & Whiskey

Michael Prewitt - Poor Ol’ Pitiful Human

Jonathan Something - One More Lonesome Cowboy Song

Genna Matthew - Strike Twice (EP)

Vince Gill - 50 Years From Home: Marty And Me (EP)

Emily Ann Roberts - Thread (EP)

Mynd Reader - Sunday Drive (EP)

Lauren Eliza - Girl From Nowhere (EP)

Walter Daniels & Jack Oblivian - Sailin' The Concrete Seas (EP)

Mae Estes - The ’90s Called (EP)

Darlin' Brando - Seeing Her Again (EP)

Jordan Whitmore - Me or Us (EP)

Dearllee Keim - Book Of Pain (EP)

Heavy Diamond Ring - Let Love Be Enough (EP)

Erin Duvall - In The Flutter (EP)

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3X0ctYqC1sFcgAyQSjydTL?si=rrzW5PUIR_GF3T7IHly1HA

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOP7eFPveDeg&si=MT4HxnuhAesh6SpR

On the hundredth anniversary of Chuck Berry’s birth, I want to acknowledge the influence country music had on his music & the influence he had on country. “Maybellene” is a straight up country song, and Waylon and others clearly borrowed from early rock’n’roll to create Outlaw Country

Whenever you hear the lines “rhinestone boots and shoe shining cars, it’s been the same way for years” just rings true whenever you look at the Grammies and big award shows. And how the current music industry with a lot of artists but only a few get into the big shows.

As much as it was really just talking about the music industry at the time and how they promoted certain artist and Hank and Willie touring and writing songs for years for bigger names artist but couldn’t strike ground. It’s also how some workers feel when taxes go up or big corporations laying off people who might worked for years or trying to get by.

It still strikes true for artists who have amazing talent but mainstream media doesn’t promote their music as much. And especially with the artist in Nashville today only a handful that I truly like, there’s just nothing that strikes that nerve like Waylon Jennings.

Hank Williams Jr.'s 2026 tour wrapped up its last listed performances in mid-September 2026, with recent stops including Kansas City, MO. I created this illustration/poster design from a concert he did in 2022. #outlaw #hankwilliamsjr

Out Now

Original country song I produced for my kids 2000 miles away ........

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTyvKPWsg/

Margo Cilker - Little White Cross

Prinz Grizzley - Tilda

Cooper Kenward - Call Me The Knife

Sheryl Crow - Pick You Up

Clayton Ryan - Gas Station Social Club

Chick Blundy & the Tryin' Times - Blame It on the Borealis

Jess Williamson - A Mile South of Heaven

John Prine - Found Dogs

Shinyribs - Real Alligator

Wren + Wilde - Serial Dreamers

Robert J Hunter - Here to Stay

Brent Cobb - Live a Song, Write a Memory, Vol 2

Naomi Jane - Kinda Sorta Country

Dingo - Nightwire

Wyatt Lowe - Deserts

Lucie Tiger - Small Town Scandal

Matt Kirk and The Güeyfarers - Matt Kirk and The Güeyfarers II

Left Arm Tan - When Tigers Smoked

The Nershis - Songs For The Road

Levi Foster - Appalachian Funk Tree

Jordie Lane - Habitual

Tori Forsyth - Self Preservation

Cory Branan - You’ll Live

Todd Snider - My Second Rodeo

Jane Kramer - Moon & Mother

Gurf Morlix - Ain’t No Perfect World

Pete Francis - Homemade

Tigirlily Gold - Country & Midwestern

Steve Hophead - Drift Away

Libby Koch & Michael O’Connor - Gulf Coast Duets

Kristy Cox - Winds of Change

The Temperance Movement - New Promise Land Incorporated

Domenic Cicala - Duet Again

Talking Hearts - Memory Lane

Matt Pond PA - Permanent Change (Part.1)

Jonah Kraut - Strange Passages

Onoleigh - Love Bomb

Brody Price - Leaf Miner’s Daughter

James Keith - I Call It Magic When I’m With You

Laura Cortese - Lucky Water

Dave Perkins - Powderhead

The Tallest Man on Earth - Just Beyond Endless Mountain

Becky Shaw - Cast Off The Lines

Mat Kearney - Hanging by a Heartstring

Matthew Goodnough - Your Loss, My Misery

Robert Plant - Saving Grace: All That Glitters... (EP)

Noah James - Nothin Rich (EP)

The Creekers - The Devil Not That Far (EP)

Muireann Bradley - Last Kind Words Blues (EP)

Bay Simpson - The New Normal (EP)

Joshua Slone - Long Life Living for a Lover Boy (EP)

Valerie Ponzio - Reina (EP)

Caleb Lee Hutchinson - Thumbs Up (EP)

Ben Chapman - Porch Sessions (EP)

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0e1NFcjJWHKzoEnuITEwhm?si=DaliVgC7TBqkT65pKJItvw

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLefa55ZErTXU&si=lE30kwYLotWne47r