A mixed bag of vibes and styles highlights the last week before the holiday season is entirely upon us in this week’s roundup of the latest and greatest from the world of country music.
Click here to take a listen to the following tunes.
Morgan Wade – I’ll Be Home For Christmas
Newly christened 2022 CMT Listen Up artist Morgan Wade’s cover of “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” joins her version of “Santa Claus is Back in Town” as her contribution to an ever-crowding group of solid country productions highlighting 2021’s holiday season. Compared to her material like hit single “Reckless,” it is a warm and inviting take on the timeless yule-time classic. This track, more than anything, speaks to the incredible potential that exists within Wade as a star, not just to those who are more punk-to-pop country fans but also those who are more comfortable with the genre’s more traditional leanings.
Cam – I Will Believe
Songs advocating for believing in the holiday season’s mythology are as numerous as they are fanciful. However, if you feel like you’ve aged past the demographic that finds “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” as the pinnacle of entertainment, Cam’s profoundly heartfelt and anthemic take on believing in the reasons for the season is well worth hearing. In regards, she notes, via a press release, “One of my dear friends Anders Mouridsen and I wrote this song ’Believe’ about deciding to look for the good and choosing to open up our hearts to hope even in the darkest times.”
Rob Mayes – Can’t Go Another Day
After a solid quarantine debut via his EP Songs From The Sofa: A Quarantine Project, actor/vocalist Rob Mayes returns with a new ballad, “Can’t Go Another Day.” He’s as earnest in his craft as a vocalist as he is as an actor. In a 2020 interview, he noted, “Few art forms exist that can distill a vibe, a point of view, a message, and a feeling more than a song can. There is so much music that can take me back to a place of love, sorrow, hope, and happiness, and there’s no question that others feel the same way.” Similarly, here, he’s continued his mission to elevate his career aspirations while honoring the craft he loves with an excellent love song.
Russell Dickerson – Love You Like I Used To
Like country stars like Dan + Shay, Russell Dickerson has noted that his fans are fond of using his more lovelorn ballads in their wedding ceremonies. Thus, for his just-released Studio 900 project, he’s re-recorded his 2020 #1 hit ballad “Love You Like I Used To” as an acoustic ode equally suited for first dances than radio airplay. “Stripped back some of my favorite songs from the Southern Symphony record for y’all,” Russell shared via social media about his forthcoming release. To wit, one of his fans noted in response, “can’t wait to use these at our wedding next summer.”