There's always been a stark honesty to Caleb Caudle's songs, but on his new album Heavy Thrill, the North Carolina native delves even deeper into the corners of the human experience we all recognize but aren't always comfortable talking about. Recorded at the Cash
Everybody loves a pedal steel these days—it's all over indie and Nashville's neotrad revival and of course lends a glossy honky-tonk flair to the biggest song of the year. Am I sort of spoiling what I should pitch as an actual story? Maybe! But
It's a nice idea that "This Land Is Your Land" should be our national anthem, a wonderful song full of generous and idealistic sentiment that's actually easy to sing. (That the Star-Spangled Banner should be replaced, I think, is a truth universally acknowledged
Welcome back to Don’t Rock the Inbox. Here’s this week’s music recommendation post and playlist, which are for paying subscribers only. If you’re interested in paid content but not able to afford it, shoot us an email. The Good “Too Little, Too Late,” Orville Peck: Absolutely
Happy dogs days of summer to you all (or "fuck are my kids going back to school summer," whatever you celebrate). Some fun international news from me: as I mentioned last month, my book Her Country will be available in the UK this fall, on Omnibus Press. You
I recently started running. Not really for the obvious reasons - health, heart, etc - though those are good reasons, too. But because I needed to find a way to quickly and efficiently feel the sun on my face (or at least the humidity) a couple times a week. I hear that&
I was invited to give a presentation at the Dallas Public Library last weekend (which I obviously accepted with enthusiasm, because the library is the best!) on the topic of women in Texas country music (or Texas women in country music, or some other combination of those words…). With 90
A country music newsletter.
Welcome back to Don’t Rock the Inbox. Here’s this week’s music recommendation post and playlist, which are for paying subscribers only. If you’re interested in paid content but not able to afford it, shoot us an email. The Good "Carolina Rain," Rhiannon Giddens: It&
Michaela Anne is one of those voices in Nashville I connected with almost immediately - just truly great, emotionally connected country and folk songs. Her new album, These Are The Days, hits both me and Natalie where it hurts: in the throes of motherhood, watching the days both drag and fly
First and foremost, I hope you're not having to work and that you're staying cool this holiday weekend. During these days when the patriotism seems even more delusional than usual, thankfully we've got great artists reminding us that the struggle against it and the
A check-in on the state of the country charts: are they as depressing as usual?
Welcome back to Don’t Rock the Inbox. Here’s this week’s music recommendation post and playlist, which are for paying subscribers only. If you’re interested in paid content but not able to afford it, shoot us an email. The Good "Backroad Rodeo," The BoykinZ: Brazen
Sapphic imagery is a recurring theme in mainstream country music these last few years – but why? And what if we don't?
Hopefully you have the day off today, and more importantly, hopefully you spend some of your day reflecting on the significance of Juneteenth in this moment — a moment when the people in power are working hard to undo every attempt (and they are attempts) at creating a more equal and
One thing is consistent here at DRTI: Vandoliers forever. To celebrate Pride Month this year, we have a guest post from longtime friend of the newsletter Jenni Rose of Vandoliers. Jenni wrote the band's new song, "Girl on the Run," shortly after she came out as
Welcome back to Don’t Rock the Inbox. Here’s this week’s music recommendation post and playlist, which are for paying subscribers only. If you’re interested in paid content but not able to afford it, shoot us an email. The Good "Phone, Keys, Wallet," Lainey Wilson
Pistol Annies TikTok fame? Yes really!
We all know the country song of 2026 if you look at the charts - "Choosin' Texas," obviously - but what's your country song of the summer? Your personal favorite summer country banger of the moment?
Hello newsletter friends, I hope you are all enjoying this start to summer (it's currently pouring on the Saturday I am writing this, so currently waiting for things to actually feel like summer over here). A quick update on my end: this week, I started as a Senior