Album Review – Cody Jinks Sings Lefty Frizzell

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#510.1 (Classic Country) on the Country DDS.

Cody Jinks is not some throwback country hipster in thrift store duds looking to recreate the Golden Era of country music in a club in east Nashville. He’s a former heavy metal guy who moved towards country later in his career, and now finds a nexus between the songs of country and the sounds of rock that’s usually categorized as “Outlaw” in the modern era.

But just like any and all country performers of one shape or another worth their salt, Cody Jinks was heavily influenced by the music and songs of Lefty Frizzell. That’s why when Billboard recently decided to run down the “100 Greatest Country Artists of All Time” and left Lefty completely off the list, it pretty much disqualified the rest of the entire exercise. Aside from Hank Williams, there is perhaps no other performer from the formative era of country music who wields more influence than Lefty.

“‘Long Black Veil’ by Lefty is the first song I learned on guitar,” Cody Jinks explains. “My Dad has always loved Lefty’s music and he passed that on to me as well. Lefty helped shape a generation, consequently he helped shape a genre. Growing up on traditional country, like Lefty Frizzell, inspired me to trace my music lineage. Lefty’s contributions set a standard for what good country music sounds like.”

This tribute to Lefty Frizzell has been sitting on the shelf for the better part of four years or so, or perhaps longer. Jinks has been releasing hints and allegations about it since 2020, but perhaps the timing was never right. Now as he sits in-between projects and we reach a slower cycle in the release calendar, perhaps there’s not a better time to present it to the public.


Instead of trying to interpret the songs of Lefty Frizzell into his own more original style, Cody Jinks and co-producers Joshua Thompson (bass) and Drew Harakal (keys) of Cody’s Tonedeaf Hippies try to evoke the early ’50s era when Frizzell and his powers were at their peak. The goal was a reenactment as opposed to a reimagining, just utlizing Cody’s singing voice as opposed to trying to ape Lefty himself.

They used old gear to get those vintage tones right, and took a simple approach to the recording, worrying more about authenticity as opposed to perfection. Also give credit to Cody’s steel guitar player Austin “Hot Rod” Tripp for really evoking the ’50s era with his licks.

Purists and Frizzell nerds will be quick to point out that some of these songs weren’t even written by Lefty, even though he popularized most all of them like Bill Anderson’s “Saginaw, Michigan.” Others may say they know “If You’ve Got The Money I’ve Got The Time” as a Willie Nelson tune, or “I Never Go Around Mirrors” from Keith Whitley. But this speaks to the varied and elongated influence of Lefty Frizzell that Cody Jinks looks to highlight.

Cody knows he’s not going to do a Lefty Frizzell tune better than lefty, though he turns in some great performances like on his rendition of “Always Late (With Your Kisses).” But you can’t take it for granted that the average Cody Jinks fan knows the Lefty Frizzell catalog from and back, if at all. This album is about paying those influences forward, pulling the curtain back to expose the bones behind Cody’s sound and songs, and paying homage to a past country music great.

Some may wish there were a few more songs on the album. But the fact that we’re talking about someone like Cody Jinks releasing a Lefty Frizzell tribute album in the first place feels like a gift, and something not to second guess. Cody Jinks Sings Lefty Frizzell is lovingly and respectfully produced and presented, and it’s moments like these that help keep those early artists and influences of country music alive.

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