Most Anticipated Country Albums for 2nd Half of 2019 + Rumors

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If you’re wondering what you might look forward to listening to in the 2nd half of 2019 in country and Americana music, let this be your guide. Here’s all the information Saving Country Music has been able to compile on the most anticipated upcoming releases, along with a more extensive catalog of releases to have on your radar, and the always juicy “rumor mill” where uncorroborated information on new releases dwells.

Also important to note for this particular installment: there is admittedly very little women included here. But please understand, this is not an effort at exclusion, there’s just very few female-led project that have been officially announced at this moment. There are quite a few on the way like new Tanya Tucker and Michaela Anne albums, but details have yet been confirmed.

Hint: Bookmark this page, and come back on Fridays to make sure you don’t miss anything important. This list will be updated periodically when new albums are announced.

PLEASE NOTE: No artist or album was overlooked, snubbed, or disregarded here. If you know of an album that is going to be released that you believe is of interest in country music, please feel free to share the information below in the comments section for the benefit of everyone.

Doug Seegers – The Story I Got to Tell – May 31st

Doug Seegers took country and Americana by surprise when he was rediscovered in 2014 as a homeless songwriter living on the streets of Nashville who became a superstar in Sweden. The story is too good to be true, but so is Doug Seegers’ voice and songs. “My new record is really a piece of my heart. It’s all about having the courage to speak up close and personal about the things that matter most. Like showing a real compassion and love for a lost soul. Like throwing away your greed and giving a little back,” Seegers says.

Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real – Turn Off The News (Build A Garden) – June 14th

Recorded straight to analog tape at studios in California, Lukas Nelson’s new album features many guests, including Willie Nelson, Neil Young, Sheryl Crow, Margo Price, Micah Nelson, Kesha, Shooter Jennings, Randy Houser, and Lucius. “We wanted these songs to be fun and upbeat, but we also wanted to have something to say,” Lukas Nelson says. “[It’s] the idea of turning off the news and doing something constructive. It’s a statement about how you can live your life with your heart leading the way.”

Hank Williams – The Complete Health and Happiness Recordings – June 14th

If you have a hankering for Hank and haven’t received your fill of music from the Hillbilly Shakespeare over the years, you’re in luck. BMG is getting ready to release a rare collection of Hank Williams archive material made in October of 1949 called The Complete Health & Happiness Recordings. The 2 CD, 3 vinyl collection is compiled from a short-lived radio show Hank Williams and his Drifting Cowboys recorded at the studios of WSM called the Health & Happiness Show. Consisting of eight separate shows recorded over multiple days to help promote the controversial Hadacol cure-all, the collection includes renditions of many of Hank’s most iconic songs and standards, as well as rarities. (read more)

Chris Shiflett – Hard Lessons – June 14th

Produced by Dave Cobb at Nashville’s Studio ‘A’, the 10 new songs from the Foo Fighters guitarist feature Chris Powell, Brian Allen, legendary steel guitar player Paul Franklin, and a guest appearance by Laur “Little Joe” Joamets. “I remember one night between Foo Fighters gigs last year I went out for dinner with Dave Cobb to chit chat about making this record. He said he had a vision of me playing through an old Marshall JCM-800. So, when it came time to record, we found one on Craigslist, cranked it up and it was perfect. I think this record hits a little closer to mixing everywhere I’ve been musically into one big blender and comes out something a little different.”

Jim Lauderdale – From Another World – June 21st

Lauderdale’s 32nd studio record, the prolific songwriter and Father of Americana Music offers 12 new songs that include co-writes with Melba Montgomery, Buddy Cannon, and Logan Ledger. “A long time ago, I decided that with each record, I would ignore the categories people tried to put me into and just make the music that was in my heart. This album is about the search for connection, love and understanding between people, about finding empathy in a world where it feels like folks are more and more at loggerheads. When the world outside your window feels too tough to bear, I hope you’ll step into the world we’ve created here.”

Buddy & Julie Miller – Breakdown On 20th Ave. South – June 21st

Back together for the first time in a decade (musically speaking, that is), Americana’s power couple offer their latest collaborative album featuring 12 songs that took a lot longer than expected. Initially started shortly after finishing their last album, 2009’s Written In Chalk, health issues suffered by Julie Miller (that are still affecting her), and a busy schedule by Buddy put forward momentum on hiatus. Buddy Miller has been producing many records over the last 10 years, and also did a lot of work on the music for the recent Nashville TV show. But now they are back, and together once again.

Aaron Watson – Red Bandana – June 21st

“’Red Bandana’ is the album I’ve been working towards my entire career,” says Aaron Watson. “There are 20 songs and they represent each of the 20 years I’ve been blessed to play shows and make Country Music. I wanted to give my incredible fans something more, a complete musical experience combined with poetry and cinematic moments — I even recorded the sound of my Grandmother’s wind chimes, the fuzz of my Dad’s AM radio and the rattle of the train that passes by my ranch — and can’t wait for everyone to hear the full record from start to finish.”

Bruce Robison and Kelly Willis – Beautiful Lie – June 21st

These two titans of Texas country who happen to share a home are coming together for their 4th studio album, and folks in Texas and beyond are excited for their latest installment. Being released on Robison’s Next Waltz record label and recorded at his all-analog studio “The Bunker” in Lockhart, Texas, he says the new album “sounds and feels like authentic country music should.” The new album includes originals, a few covers and co-writes, and some classics as well.

Willie Nelson – Ride Me Back Home – June 21st

The album is said to complete a trilogy of mortality that Willie has been making with his last three records. 2017’s God’s Problem Child and 2018’s Last Man Standing are the other two installments. The new album will include multiple originals written by Willie Nelson with producer Buddy Cannon, as well as a few tunes that may be familiar to country fans. The title song for the record was written by Sonny Throckmorton, who was said to be inspired to write the tune after he heard of Willie’s work adopting horses, which he stables at his Texas Hill Country ranch. (read more)

Chuck Mead – Close to Home – June 21st

From his important work with the throwback country outfit BR549, to his long and productive solo career, to numerous causes and enterprises behind-the-scenes few catch wind of, Chuck Mead has on the front lines of helping to save country music for a quarter century. On June 28th, the country throwback will release his fourth solo album via Plowboy Records called Close To Home, and this one promises to have a distinct Memphis feel to it. “I really delved into the Memphis music scene when I was living there for four months,” Chuck Mead says. (read more)

Shane Smith and the Saints – Hail Mary – June 28th

Texas music’s Shane Smith and the Saints are taking a unique approach to releasing their new album, Hail Mary. As opposed to releasing it all at once, the record will be made available in four chapters consisting of three songs in each. The first chapter was released May 17th, the second will be released May 31st, the third June 14th, and the fourth June 28th, resulting in the full record.

Matt Woods- Natural Disasters – June 28th

It was no mistake that Matt Woods won Saving Country Music’s 2013 Song of the Year, and he remains one of the most under-the-radar songsmiths and performers on the earnest and emotional side of country. Natural Disasters isn’t just the name of his new album, it’s the name of his touring band which includes former Whitey Morgan and the 78’s member JD Mackinder, and they make it hard to keep hold of your emotions when they take the stage.

Jason Eady – I Travel On (Deluxe Edition) – June 28th

“When we were in the studio recording the “I Travel On” album we had such a good time that we recorded an extra 5 songs (3 covers, an unreleased original, and an electric version of “That’s Alright”) and played some of the outros for minutes after what you hear on the released version of the album,” Jason Eady explains. “We will be releasing the Deluxe Edition of ‘I Travel On’ that includes everything we did in the studio including the new songs and extended versions.” (read more)

Joseph Huber – Moondog – July

We don’t know much about the new Joseph Huber album yet aside from the name, that it will be out in July at some point. But all you need to know is that Joseph Huber is involved to get excited about it. The former member of the .357 String Band went from wowing crowds as one of the most proficient banjo players alive to being considered one of the most remarkable songwriters and multi-instrumentalists of our generation. July can’t get here quick enough.

Tyler Childers – Country Squire – August 2nd

Tyler Childers is the newest signee to RCA Records, a division of Sony, and will release Country Squire via own imprint on RCA called Hickman Holler Records. Sturgill Simpson has returned to produce Tyler Childers for the upcoming RCA release. Just like his previous record, it was recorded at the Butcher Shoppe in Nashville, and features musicians Stuart Duncan, Miles Miller, and Russ Pahl. One of the fastest-rising artists in country music, Childers regularly sells out live appearances, and this will be arguably the biggest release in independent country for the 2nd half of 2019. (read more)

Rodney Crowell – Texas – August 15th

Making a collaborative album with some of the most iconic artists from Texas and beyond wasn’t exactly what Houston native Rodney Crowell had in mind when he first started out to write and record his latest record. It just sort of happened that way. First a theme started to develop around the material he was working on. Then he reached out to San Antonio-native Steve Earle to perhaps guest on a track, and later Billy Gibbon’s of Houston-based ZZ Top. Next thing he knew a whole slew of Texas artists were on board, as well as Ringo Starr. Now the result will be Rodney Crowell’s latest record aptly titled TEXAS. (read more)

 

Vince Gill – Okie – August 23rd

“I thought this was going to be a songwriter record, not a concept album,” Vince Gill says, who wrote or co-wrote all 12 tracks on the album. “It wound up being more information than I’d envisioned. A friend sent me an email saying, ‘You could have only written this record after living a 60-year-plus life.’ He said, ‘There’s no struggle in these songs, just truth and your experience.’” On the record, there are tribute songs to both Guy Clark and Merle Haggard, and two songs about his wife Amy Grant. (read more)

Jon Pardi – Heartache Medication – September 27th

Jon Pardi has been a focal point of bringing more twang and traditional style to the mainstream, and with the recent success of artists like Midland and even George Strait with more traditional sounding material, Pardi might continue to have success doing it his way. Jon promised plenty of fiddle and steel guitar on the lead single and title track from the album, and delivered both in ample supply. This is certainly one of the mainstream’s most anticipated releases. (read more)

Logan Ledger – Self-Titled – October 4th

Signed to Rounder Records, producer T Bone Burnett found out about Ledger when bassist Dennis Crouch sent him a recording of one of Logan’s songs. “[Logan] had, and has, a voice filled with history,” T Bone Burnett says. “I could hear echoes of one great singer after another in his tone. He sang without artifice. As we have been working together over the last couple of years, I have begun to discover the wide territory he is able to cover.”  (read more)

 

OTHER CONFIRMED RELEASES

Mike Frazier – Where The Valley Kissed The Sky – May 31st

Left Lane Cruiser – Shake and Bake – May 31st

Resonant Rogues – Autumn of the World – May 31st

Ian Noe – Between The Country – May 31st

Tanbark – Self-Titled – May 31st

Meghan Hayes – Seen Enough Leavers – May 31st

Buck Owens – The Complete Capitol Singles Vol. 3 – May 31st

Rich Layton and Tough Town – Salvation Road – May 31st

Derek Spencer – The Pilot Light – June 1st

Steve Hewitt – Bigger Than Words – June 3rd

Music City Hit Makers – Songs & Symphony – June 4th

Lonesome Wyatt and the Holy Spooks – Agonizing Love – June 4th

Molly Thomas and the Rare Birds – Honey’s Fury – June 7th

Bryan Haraway – Self-Titled – June 7th

The Hollering Pines – Moments In Between – June 7th

Gary Nicholson – The Great Divide – June 7th

Whitey Johnson (Gary Nicholson’s blues alter ego) – More Days Like This – June 7th

Working-Class Heroes: A History of Struggle and Song – June 7th

Charlie Roth – I’m The Smile – June 7th

Damn Tall Buildings – Don’t Look Down – June 7th

Jon Wolfe – Feels Like Country Music EP – June 14th

Jamestown Revival – San Isabel – June 14th

Keb Mo – Oklahoma – June 14th

Will Beeley – Highways & Heart Attacks – June 14th

Montgomery Gentry – Outskirts – June 14th

Grant Farm – Broke In Two – June 14th

Courtney Hartman – Ready Reckoner – June 14th

Chris Robinson Brotherhood – Servants of the Sun – June 14th

Monticola – Appalachian Powerball – June 14th

Greg Felden – Made of Strings – June 14th

The Nelson Brothers – The Nashville Sessions – June 14th

Drivin’ N’ Cryin’ – Live The Beautiful Love – June 21st

Aaron Davis – The Meander – June 21st

Reckless Kelly – Bulletproof Live – June 21st

The Hackensaw Boys – A Fireproof House of Sunshine EP – June 21st

Alex Culbreth – Rotgut Coffeepot Lovesick Blues – June 23rd

Santa Poco – Self-Ttitled EP – June 26th

Luke Callen – Below Your Knows – June 26th

Erik Koskinen – Burning The Deal – June 28th

Runaway June – Blue Roses – June 28th

Mark Cline Bates – King of the Crows – June 28th

The Small Glories – Assiniboine & The Red – June 28th

Dave Alvin – King of California (Re-Issue w/ Bonus) – June 28th

The Allman Betts Band – Down To The River – June 28th

The Black Keys – Let’s Rock – June 28th

Tui – Pretty Little Mister – June 28th

Austin Plaine – Stratford – June 28th

Josh Abbott Band – Catching Fire EP – June 28th

Tony Logue – Live At Red Barn Radio – July 1st

The Steel Wheels – Over The Trees – July 12th

Have Gun Will Travel – Strange Chemistry – July 12th

Joseph Huber – Moondog – July 12th

Queeva – How Do You Know – July 14th

Western States – From The Center Out – July 19th

Ben Winship – Toolshed and Acorns – July 19th

Rod Picott – Tell The Truth & Shame The Devil – July 19th

Steve Goodman – Artistic Hair & Affordable Art  Re-Releases– July 19th

Jenny Tolman – There Goes The Neighborhood – July 19th

Joe Pug – The Flood in Color – July 19th

Karen Jonas – Lucky, Revisited – July 19th

Bubba T – Bucket List – July 19th

The 40 Acre Mule – Goodnight & Good Luck – July 19th

Philippe Bronchtein – Oregon Air – July 23rd

Heironymus Rhodes – Playing The Elysian Fields – July 23rd

Chuck Hawthorne – Fire Out Of Stone – July 26th

Will Bennett & The Tells – All Your Favorite Songs – July 26th

Robbie Fulks – Country Love Songs (Vinyl Reissue) – July 26th

Home Free – Dive Bar Saints – July 26th

Justin Moore – Late Nights and Longnecks – July 26th

James Steinle – Live at Hole in the Wall – July 26th

Gethen Jenkins – Western Gold – July 26th

Albi & The Wolves – This Is War – July 26th

Chris Gantry – Nashlantis – July 26th

Mac Powell and the Family Reunion – Back Again – July 26th

John Lee Hooker – The Country Blues of John Lee Hooker (reissue) – August 2nd

Credence Clearwater Revival – Live At Woodstock – August 2nd

Blue Highway – Somewhere Far Away – August 2nd

Bill Bloomer – Bounty – August 2nd

Elaina Kay – Issues – August 2nd

Chris & Adam Carroll – Good Farmer – August 2nd

Davina and the Vagabonds – Sugar Drops – August 2nd

Jeremie Albino – Hard Time – August 9th

Che Apalache – Rearrange My Heart – August 9th

Jesse Dayton – Mixtape Volume 1 – August 9th

Spirit Family Reunion – Ride Free – August 9th

Dylan Earl – Squirrel In The Garden – August 9th

Smooth Hound Smith – Dog in a Manger – August 9th

Maybe April – The Other Side – August 9th

Beth Bombara – Evergreen – August 9th

The Hawthorns – Morning Sun – August 9th

Marc Cohn & Blind Boys of Alabama – Work To Do – August 9th

Eilen Jewell – Gypsy – August 16th

Frank Turner – No Man’s Land – August 16th

Bobby Rush – Sitting On Top of the Blues – August 16th

Lillie Mae – Other Girls – August 16th

Amy LeVere – Painting Blue – August 16th

Ben Davis Jr. – Suthernahia – August 16th

Brett Bass and Melted Plectrum – Lost in the Fog – August 16th

Tracy Lawrence – Made in America – August 16th

Old Salt Union – Where The Dogs Don’t Bite – August 16th

The Hickoids – All The World’s A Dressing Room: Live in LA – August 16th

Esther Rose – You Made It This Far – August 23rd

Michael Cleveland – Tall Fiddler – August 23rd

Po’ Ramblin’ Boys – Toil, Tears, and Trouble – August 23rd

Leslie Stevens – Sinner – August 23rd

Sunny War – Shell of a Girl – August 23rd

Them Coulee Boys – Die Happy – August 23rd

Ward Hayden & The Outliers – Can’t Judge a Book – August 24th

Gregg Allman – Laid Back (Remastered & Expanded) – August 30th

Burnett – Blood Gold – August 30th

Garrett T. Capps – All Right, All Night – August 30th

James LeBlanc – The Devil Between My Ears – September 2nd

Paul Cauthen – Room 41 – September 6th

The Allman Brothers – Fillmore West ’71 – September 6th

Hot Club of Cowtown – Wild Kingdom – September 6th

Katie Thompson – Bittersweet – September 6th

The Wood Brothers – Live at the Fillmore – September 6th

Will Payne Anderson – Living With Ghosts -September 6th

These Wild Plains – Thrilled To Be Here – September 6th

Ian & Sylvia Tyson – Ian & Sylvia The Lost Tapes – September 6th

Crystal Gayle – You Don’t Know Me – September 6th

Anna Egge – Is It The Kiss – September 6th

Dori Freeman – Every Single Star – September 13th

Lauren Pratt – Young American Sycamore – September 13th

Jimbo Pap – It Can Always Get Worse – September 13th

The Lumineers – III – September 13th

Kimmi Bitter – Take Me Back – September 14th

Hiss Golden Messenger – Terms of Surrender – September 20th

Bruce Cockburn – Crowing Ignites – September 20th

Charley Crockett – The Valley – September 20th

Andrew Combs – Ideal Man – September 20th

Del Barber – Easy Keeper – September 20th

Jerico Woods – Fare Thee Well – September 20th

Dallas Burrow – Southern Wind – September 20th

Don Gallardo – In The Name of Good Intentions – September 20th

The Quebe Sisters – Self-Titled – September 20th

Ghalia – Mississippi Blend – September 20th

Alice Peacock – Minnesota – September 20th

Darrin Bradbury – Talking Dogs & Atom Bombs – September 20th

Lost Bayou Rambers – On Va Continuer! doc and Asteur live album – September 20th

Jack Klatt – It Ain’t The Same – September 27th

Michaela Anne – Desert Dove – September 27th

John Calvin Abney – Safe Passage – September 27th

Kristen Chenoweth – For The Girls – September 27th

Sofia Talvik – Paws of a Bear – September 27th

Charlie Parr – Self-Titled – September 27th

Wallis Bird- Woman – September 27th

Randy Lewis Brown – Red Crow – September 27th

Hot Club of Cowtown – Wild Kingdom – September 27th

Kacy & Clayton – Carrying On – October 4th

Jason James – Seems Like Tears Ago – October 4th

Monica Rizzo – Sunshine Is Free – October 4th

Brooke White – Calico – October 4th

Bonnie Bishop – The Walk – October 4th

The Avett Brothers – Closer Than Together – October 4th

Dallas Moore – Tryin’ To Be A Blessing – October 4th

Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley – World Full of Blues – October 4th

Malin Pettersen – Alonsome EP – October 11th

Brothers Osborne – Live At The Ryman – October 11th

Oak Ridge Boys – Down Home Christmas – October 25th

THE RUMOR MILL

The Oak Ridge Boys are working with producer Dave Cobb once again. They’re planning their first Christmas album in four years, as well as an album of classics and standards.

Michaela Anne has signed with Ye Roc, and will have a new Sam Outlaw-produced album on the way. (read more)

Tanya Tucker has signed with Fantasy Records, and has a new album tentatively called While I’m Living due out later this year. (read more)

James McMurtry has signed to New West Records. New record coming.

Charlie Parr has a new album coming this fall from Red House Records.

Both Jesse Daniel and Zephaniah OHora have recently launched successful crowdfunding campaigns, with Zeph’s project completed. Expect to hear more news soon.

Gethen Jenkins has a new album on the way called Western Gold. No release date yet.

Rich O’Toole says he’s finished a new album.

Chris Knight has said he’s almost finished on a new record. (read more)

Dalton Domino will have a new album August-ish. Announcement coming soon.

Bill Callaham says he has a new double album dropping June 14th

Paul Cauthen, new LP September of 2019

Cody Jinks has been out at the Sonic Rance recently recording on a new record.

A new artist named Elaina Kay out of Dallas will have a new album produced by Paul Cauthen, and featuring the Texas Gentlemen out in August-ish.

Parker McCollum, new album fall of 2019.

Corb Lund will have a covers EP, and a new studio LP in 2019, he’s confirmed.

Traditionalist Jason James will have a new record come February, though we don’t have a title or release date just yet. “I’m extremely proud of this record and I feel it’s some of my best work yet. I’ve gone through hell to get this record to the public. It’s a small price to pay though for the genre that I love more than anything.”

Dwight Yoakam dropped two new songs in May of 2018, but no word if a new album to accompany them will be forthcoming.

After some years away, Joey Allcorn is planning to get back into music, and in a big way. Expect to see a re-issue of some of his early music, as well as a new album coming perhaps in the fall.

Uncorroborated reports have Margo Price in the studio recently, possibly with a big time producer. Stay tuned.

Jaime Wyatt was recently recording at the Redwood Studio in Denton, TX.

Sarah Shook said on October 23rd, 2018 via social media, “Let it be known we are officially rehearsing for the next rekkid and we def gonna blow some minds bbs…”

Ben Haggard‘s long-awaited debut album could be on the way soon. Don’t be surprised if a famous name is tied to the release from Merle’s son.

Ward Davis released a 4-song EP recently, but is still prepping a full LP to be released early 2019 via Thirty Tigers.

Mike and the Moonpies have been back at the Yellow Dog Studio in Texas with producer Adam Odor working on a new album, or albums.

John Baumann has been recording in Nashville with producer Eddie Spear. Perhaps he’ll get a boost after Kenny Chesney recorded his song “Gulf Moon.”

Elizabeth Cook said recently that she has finished writing her next album.

Koe Wetzel was promising a new album in the summer of 2018, and released a new single “Austin” a while back. That’s obviously not going to happen. We’ll have to see if something materializes for 2019.

Sturgill Simpson should be nearing a new release, but no official word has come down just yet. When it does show up, expect it to be loud.

Jessi Colter has a new album on the way being produced by Margo Price.

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