Album Review – Clay Walker’s “Texas to Tennessee”

You want to like the new Clay Walker so bad. You remember some of those great songs from earlier in his career like “If I Could Make a Living,” or even later in his career with “She Won’t Be Lonely Long.” 90’s country of which Clay Walker contributed handsomely to is back on the upswing of popularity after all, and you see Clay standing there in his cowboy hat, naming off Texas and Tennessee in the title of his new album, and anticipation builds.
You also can’t help but feel for and root for the guy just in general. A diagnosis of multiple sclerosis in 1996 meant Clay Walker would have an uphill battle just stay alive let alone keep his career going, which he’s done in a way that’s inspiring to us all. But when it comes to this new album, the prognosis is a bit more grim. Hats off to him for continuing to stick it out, and you wish him nothing but the best. But to be frank, there’s just not a lot of reason to bother with Texas to Tennessee.
There are a couple of decent songs here, and Clay’s voice is as strong as ever. The album’s also guilty of being country in the respect that it’s more country than it is anything else. But the layering in of electronic drums on almost every track, the cliche lyrics utilized on the majority of songs, and the attempt here to be relevant to today as opposed to relevant to Clay results in a dodgy, inconsistent, and sometimes cringy experience as you work your way through this record.
It’s not even that there’s isn’t an audience for this kind of “country.” You hear it all over country radio. It’s just not the audience for Clay Walker, and radio is not going to play ball with him now no matter what he releases. The song kicks in, and immediately it leans on electronic pulsations and click tracks, which underpin buzzwords to attract that least common denominator crowd, while true country fans quickly punch out.
There are a couple of exceptions. “Cowboy Loves a Woman” is a welcome respite from the electronic beats, and is the kind of song you would hope for from late-career Clay Walker. Same goes for the title track. Both songs come in the dead center of the record, and were co-written by Clay with Jennifer Hanson and Mark Nesler.

And if nothing else, Texas to Tennessee includes quite a bit of steel guitar, and on most tracks. But just as much as steel guitar is a strong signifyer a song is traditional country, electronic drum beats are a signifyer a song is not. These mixed signals render Texas to Tennesse neither fish nor fowl, neither classic nor contemporary. It sounds like a Jason Aldean record with steel guitar overdubbed.
The lyrical themes do hug close to country, but again, in that very cliche way. It’s not that there aren’t some good ideas here, like “Loving You Then.” But when you deliver lines like “You look good climbing up holding on to my John Deere, kickin’ back in my lap with a cold beer,” it just sets your eyes to rolling. “Girl,” “beer,” “truck,” “road,” they’re all here bogging down these songs, while the “boyfriend country” style of songwriting also creeps onto this project.
Along with establishing that Clay Walker is clearly not ready to grow old with his music yet, an album like Texas to Tennessee really underscores what rare birds artists like Luke Combs, Jon Pardi, Parker McCollum, Carly Pearce, and Lainey Wilson are in the mainstream. Bring up these names to some traditionalists, and they’ll immediately scoff. But all of these artists have released mainstream records recently that are a lot more country, and a lot more lyrically enriching than what Clay Walker has released here, and all from artists 20+ years Clay Walker’s junior.
Texas to Tennessee will find its audience and appreciation from folks who want their traditional country with more contemporary styling and themes, and there are certainly much worse records out there in the mainstream. But for the rest of us, there’s just too many better options out there to try and make this record work.
1 1/4 Guns Down (4/10)
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August 6, 2021 @ 8:11 am
Clay always had a decent song or two per album. Nothing more. Even early in his career, I felt he was capable of more. Let us not forget his HGTV show a few years back. Seems like a great guy who always picked subpar material.
August 6, 2021 @ 8:41 am
I’ve always felt Clay’s talent was among the best in the 90’s, he just rarely used it to its full extent often just settling to follow the crowd.
This album feels more or less the same, nothing is bad here so much as bland.
The title track is great though. I think the day he stops chasing radio we’ll finally see his true potential.
August 6, 2021 @ 8:50 am
Well I don’t blame Clay Walker for this. He released a masterpiece of a single called “Easy Goin” last year and he was ignored by the whole industry. When he released a poppier song, he managed to chart again after 9 years. I think these acts really do want to release real country music, but there’s no sense in doing that if they keep getting ignored. This album is not really bad but definitely not a good country record. The “You Look Good” song is total garbage. I do believe Clay is one of the good guys and will release more real country in the future, therefore I hope he finds success with this one.
August 6, 2021 @ 9:41 am
“I think these acts really do want to release real country music, but there’s no sense in doing that if they keep getting ignored.”
There may not be many dollars in it. But I think it makes a whole lot of sense.
August 6, 2021 @ 12:53 pm
Tim McGraw is a guy who loves traditional country music. All his career, he has released pop sounding songs and albums to stay relevant, including some of the worst “country” songs ever (Looking for that Girl, Truck Yeah). Yet he managed to send real country gems to the top of the charts over the years (Angry All the Time, Diamond Rings and Old Barstools, How I’ll Always Be). So that is a compromise that makes sense, as it allows Tim to produce new music and to release great songs to a mainstream audience.
Walker is in a different position, since he’s not been relevant in the last decade. But his last mainstream record produced a top 5 hit radio hit, and he’s still quite popular among country music listeners. I think his move does make sense, as he’s trying to see if he can make a comeback. Personally, I’d love to see him come back to mainstream relevance. Unfortunately, that’s not going to happen. But at least he has more chances at doing so than, let’s say, Gary Allan or Travis Tritt.
August 6, 2021 @ 9:18 am
Clay Walker is just another singer trying to stay relevant. Understandable.
The album is trying to satisfy old fans, new listeners, radio…up-to-date songwriting & production (i like to call it Ashley Gorleys Country Songwriting for Dummies Vol.2…now with the Ross Copperman special).
The result is a mix of predictable tracks. Yes…it’s country (& lot more country than the most Nash-pop-with-banjo-deep-in-the-mix productions).
Will it be on many AotY-lists? Well…no.
My highlights: “Anything To Do With You” (album opener…sounds like a future single), the title track & “One More” (the album closer…reminds of some of his early uptempo tracks).
More New Music:
Camille Trail – River Of Sins – Album (11 Tracks) – Released (08/06)
New artist, produced by Shane Nicholson, two duets (one with Shane Nicholson) & “Holding Pattern” with Brad Butcher (single…was on my playlist).
No…the album is not traditional country (not with Shane Nicholson on the producer chair).
It’s more-or-less a singer/songwriter album. Storytellers (like…well…multi award winning Shane Nicholson or Michael Waugh) found a home in australian country music.
There is country-pop (like “Holding Pattern”), blues, folk & pop on the album.
River Of Sins is not loaded with singles (even less hits). It’s music to listen to, relax, come down, on the couch…
My highlights: ” “Holding Pattern”, “6 O’Clock” (with Shane Nicholson), “Deal With The Devil” & “San Antone”.
Not enough Shane Nich…guess you know now who he is…his new album Living In Colour is in the pipeline too (08/20) + the first Montgomery Church album Where The Quiet Can Hide (08/20). Highly anticipated by the ghost.
August 6, 2021 @ 9:49 am
I like the album. Sure, it’s not a masterpiece, but it’s nice to hear consistent steel guitar throughout, and sometimes very front and center. I agree the electronic drum beats are annoying, but one should expect nothing less from co-producer Michael Knox. The Jason Aldean reference in the review if fitting, since Knox is his personal producer
August 6, 2021 @ 10:35 am
Similar to Gary Allan, it’s a great artist past his heyday, trying to remain relevant. As bad as Need a Bar Sometimes is, I’m still rooting for it to be a hit.
August 6, 2021 @ 12:02 pm
Yeah, in contrast with the Ryan Curtis album, which I’m now about 1.5 times through, this album had me alienated after 1.5 *songs*.
At some point you gotta tire of going to The Man hat in hand, and wear it, even if into the sunset. If radio stardom is no longer in the cards, make it an opportunity to make something substantial. It may even appeal to listeners you’ve never had before.
August 6, 2021 @ 12:57 pm
Yeah only like a couple songs I’d say 5/10.
I still think Where Do I Fit In The Picture is his best song.
August 6, 2021 @ 2:14 pm
Never felt he stood out as an artist when in his prime. A fair review. Always liked some of his songs, as I do on this album. Most though nothing special in my opinion.
August 6, 2021 @ 2:50 pm
Listened to it from beginning to end on my long work commute a couple days ago. It’s just so incredibly boring. “Cowboy Loves a Woman” is a good song but would have been just a decent filler track on his 90’s albums. It’s rather interesting and sad that this song currently has the lowest streaming numbers of all the songs on the album, as of now on Spotify: 20.5k plays.
August 6, 2021 @ 3:00 pm
I thought the second half of the album was stronger than the first half, but not by much and neither half was spectacular. Perhaps Clay would be better off going with the Mark Chesnutt/Tracy Byrd model of “I’ll do what I did in the 90s, since radio ain’t gonna play me anyhow.”
August 6, 2021 @ 3:04 pm
It’s a new release, but it sounds like I’ve heard all these songs 100 times before. Guess Nashville is gonna Nashville
August 6, 2021 @ 9:58 pm
I think that score is a bit harsh. I would give it a 7 out of 10. Clay is doing what he can and after all what he has been through I am glad he is still able to make music. No it is not Johnny Cash, and nothing original but I actually like the songs. And I hope he gets better and can keep making more music.
August 9, 2021 @ 6:48 am
I think it’s harsh as well Clay is so underated
August 7, 2021 @ 8:08 am
It was Texas it was Tennessee
It was exes and some want to bes
It was reckless it was understood
Didn’t matter cause it felt so good
I’ll still be here if you change your mind
But I can see the leavin in your eyes
Don’t want to hear it cause I know it well
I said it all before to someone else….
I don’t know much about this dude, but the album title reminded me of my favorite LUCERO song Texas and Tennessee. LONG LIVE BEN NICHOLS. Happy Saturday everyone
August 7, 2021 @ 4:28 pm
Clay Walker is true to his country roots, and plays real country music. The country music fans love his traditional country music, and don’t particularly like the pop-rap so called country that gets radio airplay. The 90’s country is probably one of the best decades of country music that is most popular among country music fans. The true Country Music Fans love the sound of the steel guitar. Clay Walker’s new album is about his life experiences, and is written from the heart. Texas To Tennessee is an album filled with a collection of songs from very acclaimed songwriters, including Clay Walker! This album has a strong connection to the songs of the heart, and takes you back back cherished memories! Love this collection of songs, and Clay’s voice makes it a masterpiece!
August 7, 2021 @ 9:58 pm
As someone who’s been a fan of Clay since the 90’s, and has proudly defended him whenever he got criticized for being “just another hat act” or doing too many love songs, I sadly have to agree with this review and others I’ve seen. I was really hoping he would follow a similar path that Alan Jackson and fellow 90’s neo-traditional Texan, Mark Chesnutt, took with their more recent albums, and I was pretty optimistic when I heard the title track, but alas, it was not to be. Instead, we get an album with too much bro/boyfriend country influence, both lyrically and sonically, except for that title track and “Cowboy Loves A Woman.” I pretty much knew most of these songs would be a no go for me just by hearing the drum machines and snap/clap track at the start of them.
It’s too bad, because I really love “Texas To Tennessee.” It’s been one of my new favorite songs all year, and it definitely reminds me of something that George Strait or even Clay himself would’ve cut in the late 90’s or early 00’s. Songs like that and “Cowboy Loves A Woman” are timeless, and it’s the kind of country I wish would make a comeback on country radio so bad.
Sigh…It’s always even more frustrating when a veteran artist like him tries to chase trends, because you know they’re capable of so much better. I personally love all of his 90’s albums, and even his highly underrated 2001 album, Say No More. Hopefully, the next album will have more vintage Clay on it.
August 9, 2021 @ 6:45 am
I have been a Ckay Walker since the beginning .I think this CD is great I enjoy listening to any of his music old & new I think this new Cd is great these song’s ate from his heart he really worked hard & co wrote every song on this album.I appreciate when an artist puts his heart & soul into an album.I totally disagree with the part of this review whith whoever wrote this review saying “Its like Jason Aldean with a over dubbed steel guitar” that’s total B,S !! It’s just a review every one is entitled to there opinion. I love this cd & Clay Walker too.i will by any album he releases.
August 9, 2021 @ 9:56 pm
sounds like the r&b pop crap that dustin lynch is doing, but isnt clay walker like 50 something?? Shame on him