Put A Record On: Bluegrass, Straight and With A Twist

And some prime pop-country for good measure

Welcome back to Don’t Rock the Inbox! Here’s this week’s music recommendation post and playlist, which are for paying subscribers only. Subscribe to get access to all our new (and old) music picks and pans, and so much more — including new playlists weekly, which are always at the bottom of this email (paying subscribers — make sure you don’t miss them!). If you’re interested in paid content but not able to afford it, shoot us an email.

by David McMurry

The Good

"Count The Days," Swamp Dogg ft. Jenny Lewis: This twangy, bright cover of a vintage R&B single is just one of the many soul-warming entries on Swamp Dogg's latest, BLACKGRASS: From West Virginia to 125th Street. We're already well into summer heat here in North Texas, but this song sounds like spring's first wildflower bloom to me (forgive a little purple prose…). Banjo has rarely sounded this bubbly! Read more about Swamp Dogg's journey from Charles Hughes at

No Fences Review

— Charles talked with him and gives great context for the new release. — NW

Blueneck, Chris Housman: A collection of perfect pop-country songs that manage to be both smart social commentary and sometimes heartbreaking confessionals at the same time as being twangy pops (“I’m still bleeding from that beating I got from the bible belt”).  An essential record for this moment, and for anyone who never saw a place for them in a genre that rarely loves them back, but timeless too. - MM

“Ways to be Wicked,” Margo Price ft. Mike Campbell: From the forthcoming country Petty tribute, Petty Country, Price teams up with original Heartbreaker (and the song’s co-writer) for a version of the song that’s just as wicked as it needs to be, also reminding us that Price is both a country artist and rock star all at once. - MM