Album Review – Josh Turner’s “Country State of Mind”

Let’s be honest. Do we really need yet even more new versions of old country songs? Weren’t the original recordings or the ones that became the most popular plenty enough, and always fit in our brains the best? Isn’t there enough original music out there for all of us to consume, with even more being added to the pile every Friday? Hasn’t the COVID-19 era already created an entirely new backlog of cover songs and albums we couldn’t get through even if they halted the output today and the quarantine lasted until 2023? The answer is a pretty resounding “yes.”
But the wildcard here, and what makes this record worth turning your attention to is that you have the once-in-a-lifetime voice of the great Josh Turner gracing these classic songs. One of the most potent weapons in the present-day country music arsenal who tore it up in the early 2000’s, and then was put out to pasture way too early as Bro-Country began to reign, he’s back with a dozen country classics he’s cut, including many with some notable vocal contributors, and we’re completely here for it.
Whether this is Turner truly wanting to pay tribute to some old greats, or just a way to fulfill the final record on an expiring contract, he puts his heart and soul into this project by selecting and performing top songs from the country music songbook, many from the 80’s and 90’s era that is so hot right now like Alan Jackson’s “Midnight in Montgomery,” or “Forever and Ever” from Randy Travis. But a few are from way back when, like the haunting “Alone and Forsaken” from Hank Williams, with Allison Moorer joining Turner on vocals.
As many cover records go, you may gravitate strongly to some songs instead of others. But everything is performed with passion and reverence, and for the most part, rendered as stone cold country, which hasn’t always been the case with some of Turner’s later material. You may applaud seeing names like Kris Kristofferson, John Anderson, and Randy Travis involved with this project, and may gag at the idea of Chris Janson or Maddie & Tae in your speakers. But they all bring an enthusiasm to this effort that does right by the material, like Runaway June joining in on the song “You Don’t Seem To Miss Me” made famous by Patty Loveless and George Jones.

Much interest preceded this record when we saw Randy Travis was listed as a featured artist. No, he hasn’t gained a full singing voice just yet, and yes, it’s just the final “Ay-yay-yay-men” at the end of “Forever and Ever, Amen” that he performs. But it’s that kind of extra care brought to each track, and a sincere attempt to pay forward these works that makes this a worthy record to seek out.
It’s natural, and unavoidable to compare these songs to their predecessors. Do we really think anyone, even Josh Turner, is going to do a better version of “I’m No Stranger to the Rain” than Keith Whitley? Isn’t the theme from the Dukes of Hazzard a little too synonymous with Waylon Jennings (and perhaps, problematic in this uptight day and age) to launch a better version?
But let’s also not take for granted that for some, this will be their first time hearing these songs, or of the artists who recorded the definitive rendition of it before. Country singers haven’t been paying tribute to past greats for decades just for their own jollies. It’s to hopefully bridge the gap of knowledge and turn new listeners on to old music, and to open their perspectives up to another era. That’s why we should celebrate Chris Janson and Maddie & Tae are here, to bring those fans into the fold. And maybe a few of their fans, or fans of Kris Kristofferson and Hank Williams fans will get turned onto Josh Turner.
This is how the country music circle remains unbroken. Five separate eras in country music are represented on Country State of Mind, with the only ones left out being the most modern ones. And the song selections aren’t too obvious either. Sure, “Forever and Ever, Amen” is pretty widely known, but “Desperately” written by Bruce Robison and originally recorded by George Strait wasn’t exactly a super hit. The only song that sticks out here both as a selection and production-wise is Vern Gosdin’s “I Can Tell By The Way You Dance,” which came out much more contemporary than the rest of the record.
You can’t compare this fairly to a record of original material. But as a country cover record, Country State of Mind gets it mostly right. Being able to choose the songs he knows he can sing with conviction and clobber out of the park gives Josh Turner and unfair advantage as one of those singers you’d put on the short list of most naturally-gifted vocalists in country music right now. There’s no better illustration of his woody tone with a deep bass range than his take on “Caretaker.”
Josh Turner shows great care for country classics, and hopefully creates some new fans of old songs on the inspired and well-crafted Country State of Mind.
1 3/4 Guns Up (8/10)
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Purchase Josh Turner’s Country State of Mind
August 22, 2020 @ 9:24 am
I find myself agreeing once again with your review. Who needs more covers? That was my first reaction when I heard about this album. I have always preferred originals to covers but Josh Turner has such a great voice and he performs these songs so well. They are great songs. Some of his covers are simply superb. Maybe I would have chosen one or two different songs but this is without any doubt country music. A very entertaining and a high quality release. It deserves success. Well worth a listen.
August 22, 2020 @ 10:23 am
Feel exactly the same way. It’s a little overproduced and the song selection is hit and miss, but how can we complain about Josh Turner singing country staples – especially in this day and age?
August 22, 2020 @ 9:29 am
Fifty years from now the country music artists of 2070 will still be recording these old country songs simply because there are no new songs that will survive the test of time. Today’s country hits are mostly forgotten as soon as they hit the charts.
August 22, 2020 @ 9:41 am
It’s a fine album & timeless music.
Josh Turner sounds great. The other artists too.
Will i listen to the album again? Sure!
More New Music:
Mandy Barnett – A Nashville Songbook – Album (13 Tracks) – Released (08/20)
One cover album is not enough…
From “I Love A Rainy Night” to “I Can’t Help It (If I’m Still In Love With You)” all tracks are well tested. Famous tracks, written by famous songwriters & recorded by famous stars.
Mandy Barnett sounds great. The production is flawless & even without a long list of guests (there is one…) both albums deserve to be hits.
New Stuff:
Hardy – “Boyfriend” – Single/Track – Released
Jon Stork – “Another Town” – Single/Track – Released
Hershell Golden – “I’ve Got It Good” – Single/Track – Released
Ben Ransom – “Mamma Said” – Single/Track – Released (Australia)
Dustin Sonnier – “Missin’ You, Mississippi” – Single/Track – Released
Lauren Alaina feat. Jon Pardi – “Getting Over Him” – Single/Track – Released
Allan Caswell feat. Damian Cafarella – “Spin” – Single/Track – Released (Australia)
Easton Corbin – “Didn’t Miss A Beat” / “Turn Up” – Double Single/Tracks – Released
Adam Harvey feat. Lee Kernaghan – “Ramblin’ Fever” – Single/Track – Released (Australia)
Eli Young Band feat. Jimmy Buffett – “Saltwater Gospel” (Fins Up Version) – Single/Track –
Released
&
Tucker Beathard – King – Album (13 Tracks) – Released (08/20)
August 22, 2020 @ 12:54 pm
Love Mandy Barnett! All the way back from You’ve Got a Right to Cry. I didn’t know she had a new album. Thanks for the heads up!
August 23, 2020 @ 9:08 pm
Same! I picked up her first album (CD) in Camelot Records as soon as I heard about it lo those many years ago.
August 25, 2020 @ 6:37 am
Check out Mandy Barnett’s fabulous video of “Help Me Make It Through The Night” from her new album, “A Nashville Songbook.” A gorgeous video to match Mandy’s gorgeous voice and exquisite rendition of this Kris Kristofferson classic!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtncXk8sg9c
August 22, 2020 @ 9:42 am
Josh’s voice is incomparable.. I am so encouraged to see, and hear this album.. I agree some will be introduced for the first time to Keith,Vern, and the others-which is a very good thing.
Traditional country music is not mainstream, I get it.. It’s a niche, but it would be a shame, if it were completely forgotten.. An established artist like Josh paying homage in a heartfelt, and authentic way has to be a step in the right direction. Thanks so much for posting the review.
August 22, 2020 @ 9:53 am
Great album!!
But after releasing a Gospel album full of covers back in 2018, I was kind of hoping for some original songs…
Let’s hope Josh drops some new original songs sometime in the near future. We desperately need him!!!
(Also, does anyone know if any of these covers are being pushed to radio as singles!?)
August 22, 2020 @ 1:17 pm
Honestly Josh is at that point in his career where he doesn’t need radio. 2 albums before this he tried with radio and what we got was an average album.
August 22, 2020 @ 10:14 am
Thanks Trigger for the review. You perfectly captured what this album means. Did we need it? Perhaps not but I am glad it exists. And Josh has always done some impressive covers in his career which I appreciate. You just know, unlike the lip service singers of today, he actually listens to classic country music on his tour bus.
It is a darn shame. Put Josh Turner in any other generation of country music and he is a certifiable legend. People have focused more on how Bro-Country and its successors have booted women from the radio but more importantly, they kicked off traditional country music singers like Josh. His career just died and from no fault of his own. He didn’t sell out so he had to go. Disgraceful.
Every cover just kills and all the guest singers work. Travis’ slight Amen at the end might seem like a publicity stunt but Randy has been a huge impact on Turner’s career. Check out their CMT Crossroads episode. It is a classic. For my money, “Alone and Forsaken” is the best cover. Absolutely chilling. The only cover that is not up to par is “Midnight in Montgomery” and that is only because Alan Jackson has such a hero worship of Hank that I can’t imagine anyone else owning the song but it is still a solid take.
Definitely goes on the best albums of the list. It is just tragic that the best album from modern Nashville country has to be covers from long ago.
I do wish he covered a Pride song but you can’t have it all, of course, Alan Jackson might disagree on that!
August 22, 2020 @ 10:38 am
I love this album. He definitely brings freshness to these country classics to the point where they almost sound like I am listening to them for the first time. Other than Long Black Train I always saw Josh as a “nice” guy singing “nice” wholesome songs, and with a million dollar voice that was perfectly fine but it sure is great to hear him sing songs with more meat on their bones.
August 22, 2020 @ 10:45 am
I expected Midnight in Montgomery would be my favorite on here and i ended up being correct.
August 22, 2020 @ 10:53 am
Great set of songs, and he hammers them all – kind of like watching Albert Pujols taking BP at Busch.
I wasn’t familiar with Alone and Forsaken or The Caretaker. I’ll go listen to Hank and Johnny’s renditions, too, but I don’t know that they’ll top Josh’s introductions.
Another highlight is getting to hear Josh and John trade verses on I’ve Got It Made. John’s still got it, and it’s great to hear those two distinctive voices master the same song.
August 22, 2020 @ 11:12 am
Why are you wasting your talents on back to back cover projects? You should be resting those little digits and witty brain for next week!!
August 22, 2020 @ 11:29 am
Well, with the way so many were throwing into question the entire 13-year legacy of this website since I didn’t have a review immediately posted right after it was available, I pushed it to the forefront. No, I don’t like prioritizing cover projects over original ones. But apparently not reviewing this record was considered unforgivable.
August 22, 2020 @ 11:50 am
Trigger,
I hope my request for you to review this album wasn’t seen in that light. I just wanted to see your take on it because, unlike the other websites, you don’t write puff pieces. I wasn’t expecting a review; just was hoping you could find the time.
Even if you didn’t write a review, it would by no means invalidate your website and all the good work it has done. Anyone who told you that is peddling a whole of horse manure.
August 22, 2020 @ 12:32 pm
It wasn’t your request. It was some others, including on Facebook. A lot of it was tied to the Dolly Parton article, which I purposely waited to post until Friday, knowing I wouldn’t have the opportunity to listen to Josh Turner enough by then to post a review yet.
August 22, 2020 @ 12:29 pm
I want you well and rested for next week. It’s going to be fun and I don’t have a lot to look forward to anymore.
August 23, 2020 @ 5:58 am
Hey speaking of reviews, I remember a few months ago you mentioned Ashley Ray but haven’t reviewed her new album yet unless I missed it.
August 28, 2020 @ 11:26 am
I’m listening to it now and it’s so good. Slurry; Pauline; Lawrence, Kansas; Warm Body and Just a House are highlights. Ha, I just named five of the 10 songs as highlights.
August 22, 2020 @ 11:13 am
If you gathered Einstein, hawking, Feinman, Tesla Tyson and da Vinci all together they still wouldn’t be able to figure out what the hell maddie and Tae are doing on an album like this.
And no I don’t think we should celebrate it.
Who in their right mind thinks that new fans make something better?
The reason country music got effed up is because it got popular and all the passing fans are the people who messed up the market.
If we want country music back we need to get rid of “new” fans and “casual fans”
Josh Turner has always been a classy, respectful guy who clearly knows and loves Country Music. He was the first concert I ever went to, I proudly display a signed photo of him next to similar photos of David frizzell and David ball
And people who know me can attest that that’s a big endorsement given my tastes in country music
And josh turner should be our ambassador for country music, not Blake Shelton.
Josh turner is the once in a generation voice of this generation.
And if I hadn’t lost my income to this virus business I’d have bought this album by now. But I’m back to work and I should see a paycheck Friday
(Although I wanna buy animal crossing amiibo cards too)
August 23, 2020 @ 11:03 am
Fo Sho. Popularity destroys everything it touches. Now everything old is new again.
August 22, 2020 @ 11:16 am
Ordered the cd and looking forward to this. Just finished his book and he really seems like a guy with character, an appreciation of the history of Country Music, and a class act. So much good stuff coming out now with his cd, Mo Pitney, Colter Wall, and Zephaniah Ohora too!!
August 22, 2020 @ 11:37 am
Josh Turner wrote a book?
August 22, 2020 @ 11:47 am
Yes, “Man Stuff.”
He released it years ago. It is a great read.
August 22, 2020 @ 11:33 am
Been listening to Hank’s “Alone and Forsaken” lately so I’m excited to hear that Josh is doing a version.
August 22, 2020 @ 11:50 am
I will take a dozen cover albums over any bro country or tryin to be county album any damn day of the week. Given that it’s Josh, anything he puts out is worth the listen. And, he’s actually country.
*Trigger… is there anything else I can put in the sig for website other than my selling site or do you care?
August 22, 2020 @ 12:31 pm
You can leave the website portion blank if you want, or you can link to whatever you wish, as long as it’s not overtly offensive, which I don’t think I have to worry about in this case.
August 22, 2020 @ 12:10 pm
I went to briefly see just how bad last weeks Opry was, and Josh does an interview about this album at the beginning of the video that is posted.
This one won’t make heavy rotation for me, but its good and enjoyable to listen to. It’s no One Margarita performed on the Opry, but what is really?
August 22, 2020 @ 12:24 pm
Great writeup, I especially liked “It’s to hopefully bridge the gap of knowledge and turn new listeners on to old music, and to open their perspectives up to another era” and “This is how the country music circle remains unbroken. Five separate eras in country music are represented…”
As far as remakes of old songs, I still get surprised on occasion when I here a song I think is new and find out it’s old as the hills! And sometimes the new version is even better. Thanks for the review!
August 22, 2020 @ 12:36 pm
This is a real home run. Wow!
August 22, 2020 @ 1:43 pm
Never been too impressed by him, but it sounds nice. I prefer Emmylou’s version of Alone and Forsaken, but that’s just me.
Another cover album that is well worth it, is Gretchen Peters’ tribute to Mickey Newbury. That has some absolutely divine moments. Doesn’t feel like a cover album.
Gretchen is a seriously underrated performer and writer.
August 22, 2020 @ 4:48 pm
I think “covers” are the greatest form of flattery
August 22, 2020 @ 5:29 pm
The most important question is whether Josh Turner supports BLM or whether he just said the words “black lives matter.” Just kidding, this album is great. It’s a Josh Turner album, not a covers album. Covers albums are only remembered as covers albums when they are bad.
August 22, 2020 @ 6:10 pm
Fantastic.
August 22, 2020 @ 6:43 pm
You want painful contrast? Cue up this and the Pardi cover album on shuffle.
August 23, 2020 @ 11:11 am
Pardi’s album sounds like a live album minus the crowd. But you can’t have a crowd in a COVID plandemic. There’s nothing wrong with the album.
August 23, 2020 @ 11:58 am
Production has nothing to do with the gaping canyons worth of difference between Turner and Pardi’s voices.
August 22, 2020 @ 6:45 pm
Thank you for the review, Trigger. I love that you try to just call balls and strikes about the music. And you got me to listen all the way through Josh’s album.
August 22, 2020 @ 7:31 pm
Its kind of interesting if folks are concerned about artists doing cover songs.
Country artists from way back in history were often doing covers, singing their version of a song even if it had been a big hit.
August 22, 2020 @ 10:40 pm
That’s what I was thinking: covers are a massive part of the Country Music tradition. All of our favorite singers have a number of covers and classic songs in their repertoire.
August 22, 2020 @ 9:52 pm
If this album helps introduce people to Keith Whitley’s music, I consider it a success.
August 22, 2020 @ 10:22 pm
Well, if you don’t like covers, just don’t listen. No need to complain.
Alan Jackson’s “Under the Influence” album is one of my favorites and some of the songs are easily better than the originals.
In that vein, I’m pretty sure Daryle Singletary had a few cover albums. Like Turner and Jackson, he had a timeless voice that allowed him to pull it off.
August 22, 2020 @ 11:00 pm
I hope you read the whole review.
August 23, 2020 @ 8:22 am
Well, i like Turner’s version better than Gosdin’s. I never liked it , one of the weakest songs ”The Voice” sang (and his first #1).
August 23, 2020 @ 11:01 am
Does The Genital only post on political articles?
August 23, 2020 @ 3:06 pm
It seems those are the only articles which get the blood flowing for some.
August 23, 2020 @ 11:08 am
Hey Arnold, I heard Josh say in an interview that now that the covers album is done, he’s going to start writing for an album of original material.
August 23, 2020 @ 2:59 pm
Interesting news!
Like Gabe said up above, Josh is at that point where pursuing radio play tends to be counterproductive. So, if Josh will say “damn the radio and full speed ahead” on a solid traditional project, I’ll buy it without hearing it.
August 23, 2020 @ 8:11 pm
You don’t seem to miss me is one of my favourite tunes. I’m not exactly sure why, but it used to choke me up when I heard it.
Not possible to equal the original, but they certainly performed it well.
And He is an outstanding singer.
August 23, 2020 @ 10:44 pm
Knowing his label, that album will come out in 2026.
August 25, 2020 @ 1:48 pm
Growing up, we never had a station that played classic country. I never heard Walking After Midnight until it was on a Garth Brooks album. Obviously I prefer Patsy’s version, but Garth’s opened the door. Then there were all those George Strait covers that I never knew were covers until I was much older. If it introduces new people to good songs, great.
September 15, 2020 @ 12:21 pm
Love this album,he has such am amazing voice and songs and production are first class. Midnight in montgomery and country state of mind are my favorites. Rich tastefull quality country music. Awesome…
September 19, 2020 @ 9:52 am
Oh it’s a Wonderful Album , it’s absolutely Great. Josh Turner did such a great job with the old songs… I grew up with these songs You can sing every word to…Sandy Pinkered. Thank you for all the great songs you wrote over the years Pure Country. Please buy the Album you won’t be disappointed..