Album Review – Hannah Juanita – “Tennessee Songbird”


#510.1 and #510.2 (Classic Country, Honky Tonk) on the Country DDS.

Hannah Juanita’s Tennessee Songbird allows you to fall in love with country music all over again. It’s like a love letter to country music. Press play, and let the waves of classic country twang and goodness wash over you in musical bliss. There’s nothing fancy going on here. Just tune up the Telecasters, fiddle, and steel guitar, jot some songs down that capture the timeless sentiments of country music and how it makes us all feel, and let the music do the rest.

This Tennessee native’s nickname is “The Hardliner,” and for good reason. This is one pair of boots you don’t have to worry about scooting off into the realm of techno pop any time soon. She’d rather die on the hill of keeping it country than entertain any notions of what the cretins on Music Row may want her to do. But lucky for Hannah, the interest in hardcore country is on the heavy upswing, and her sophomore album has ample amounts of it.

Tennessee Songbird in many respects is about Hannah doubling down on her commitment to being a honky tonk singer, songwriter, and performer. Songs that affirm this life decision make up the heart of the album. When she sings, “Whether we listen or not, the songbird sings,” Hannah’s underscoring how she’s one of the folks who has no choice but to sing country music. It was what she was born to do. It’s in her blood. The song “Honky Tonkin’ for Life” goes even further.

When the music starts, I feel it in my heart
Singin’ is the life for me.
I’m a honky tonk angel, for that I’m so grateful
Wouldn’t trade my wings for anything.


“Mother Country Music” is another great song that makes poetry out of how we all feel about this particular genre of music.

You help me through the darkest hour when I thought I was alone
And when I found a new love you gave me a love song
And when my heart is broken and everything goes wrong
It helps to ease my mind when I hear it in your song

There are also ample opportunities on Tennessee Songbird to just unwind and have some fun. “Granny’s Cutlass Supreme” with Riley Downing of The Deslondes is definitely a hoot, as is the song “Loose Caboose.” Hannah Juanita doesn’t just sing the praises of country music on this album, she illustrates its virtues in the way this album unfolds.

Hannah’s 2021 debut record Hardliner received high praise too. But on this sophomore effort, she’s able to call forth the full resources of country music to see the vision of her songs through. It only takes a few seconds into the opening track “Hardliner Blues” to conclude you made the right choice by spinning this record as the guitar intro knocks your socks off.

The instrumentation on this album is superb and super tasty, finding little moments to even feature accordion and bits of percussion to make these songs feel not just produced, but loved by her long time collaborator and fellow performer Mose Wilson. Along with Mose laying down lead licks, you also have Chris Scruggs on lead guitar, fiddle player Billy Contreras, bass player Dennis Crouch, and Bruce Bouton of Brooks & Dunn/Ricky Skaggs fame performing on pedal steel.

Tennessee Songbird goes by quick at a 32-minute runtime, and on the surface may just seem like another standard issue East Nashville honky tonk album. But by the end, your reinvigorated as a country music fan. You’re reminded why this music means so much to you, and why it’s so much more than mere audio entertainment.

Country music is life for so many of us. That’s most certainly the case for Hannah Juanita.

1 3/4 Guns Up (8.2/10)

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