Most Anticipated Country & Roots Albums for Last of 2019 + Rumors

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If you’re wondering what you might look forward to listening to in the final portions 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.

Pay close attention to September 27th, which might be one of the biggest release days for “Most Anticipated” albums ever. We’ll be feeding off those release for months to come with Whiskey Myers, Michaela Anne, Sturgill Simpson, Dori Freeman, Jon Pardi, Billy Strings, Colter Wall, Hot Club of Cowtown, and others releasing album just on that date.

Hint: Bookmark this page, and come back on Fridays to make sure you don’t miss anything important. This list will be updated periodically under the “confirmed releases” heading when new albums are announced (though older albums won’t be removed).

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.

Whiskey Myers – (Self-Titled) – September 27th

Travis Tritt once wondered aloud where the hell the drive in country had gone. Well it comes flying right in your face whenever Whiskey Myers takes the stage or gets cued up on the stereophonic speakers, so much so it’s more apt to label them Southern rock, if not rock n’ roll entirely in some selections. This wild-assed group of east Texans recently took enough time off from tearing down the road to record their fifth album, which will be released via Thirty Tigers.

Whiskey Myers decided to make this a self-titled affair since they produced the album themselves after working with Dave Cobb on their last record Mud from 2016, and because they feel this new album embodies their sound and spirit better than ever. (read more)

Billy Strings – HOME  – September 27th

HOME was recorded at the legendary Blackbird Studios and Zac Brown-owned Southern Ground in Nashville. Producer Glenn Brown, who worked with Billy on his debut album, returns on the new effort. Also joining Billy Strings in the studio is frequent collaborator and fellow fast rising bluegrass star Molly Tuttle, dobro master Jerry Douglas, along with Billy’s own backing band that’s been playing some 200 shows a year—banjo player Billy Failing, bassist Royal Massat, and mandolin player Jarrod Walker.

Don’t be surprised if it launches him into the stratosphere of not just bluegrass, but country and Americana, and the world of music beyond where Billy wows crowds from the jam band and rock world, and even jazz and experimental music with his other-worldly improvisation and musical imagination. (read more)

Michaela Anne – Desert Dove – September 27th

A long-respected performer in independent country music circles, Michaela Anne recently signed with Yep Roc Records, giving her a extra boost in her career. Desert Dove was recorded in San Clemente, California with producers Sam Outlaw and the Delta Spirit’s Kelly Winrich. An all-star cast of players were assembled for the session including fiddle player and harmony singer Kristin Weber and guitarist Brian Whelan.

The daughter of a military man, Michaela moved often when growing up. She attended the School of Jazz at the New School in Manhattan, thinking that perhaps that would be her musical discipline, but soon converted to bluegrass and country. Along with guitar, Michaela Anne is also a respected piano player.

Dori Freeman – Every Single Star – September 27th

The delightfully simple songs of Dori Freeman have made her one of the most cherished songbirds of roots music from this generation, and now she’s getting ready to add to that growing legacy with a new album. The Galax, Virginia native has deep ties to the music from growing up at the legendary Old Fiddler’s Convention that’s been going on for nearly 85 years in Galax, and studying under her 87-year-old grandfather and local music legend Willard Gayheart, as well as her father Scott Freeman.

Every Single Star is said to be more hopeful than the previous efforts, inspired in part by her daughter, and new husband Nick Falk, who also plays drums for Freeman. It is slightly more electric and country compared to the more sparse moments and even a capella songs of her previous records, but still comes with Dori’s simplicity and refinement of writing, performed with the voice of an Appalachian angel. (read more)

Sturgill Simpson – Sound & Fury – September 27th

Sturgill Simpson’s new album will be headed in a more rock directions, and will be accompanied by an anime film of the same name to be released on Netflix. “We went in without any preconceived notions and came out with a really sleazy, steamy rock n roll record. It’s definitely my most psychedelic. And also my heaviest,” Sturgill Simpson says, which he self-produced. “I had this idea that it’d be really cool to animate some of these songs, and we ended up with a futuristic, dystopian, post-apocalyptic, samurai film.”

The Sound & Fury film is said to consist of individual anime segments set against each song on the companion album. Simpson composed the original story for the film, but the film was written and directed by Jumpei Mizusaki, founder of the animation studio Kamikaze Douga. (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 for the last few years. The 33-year-old launched two #1’s and four total Top 5 songs from California Sunrise, and the album regularly appears near the top of the country albums charts even three years after its release. Pardi is one of the few performers who can find fans across the country music divide, pulling in both traditional and contemporary listeners from across the independent and mainstream realm.

“I named it ‘Heartache Medication’ because it talks about sad topics, but it makes you feel good at the same time,” Jon Pardi says. “I’m really proud of it. I’m really proud of all the session players, the songwriters that delivered great songs. I wrote half the record and Nashville stepped in and wrote the other half, and I’m very proud of that. I think everybody’s going to love it.” (read more)

Kelsey Waldon – White Noise / White Lines – October 4th

Kelsey Waldon ain’t clowning around ladies and gentlemen. She’s here to make classic country and high waistlines cool again, and has been slaving away at this effort for going on seven years now. Heretofore, Kelsey Waldon’s labors have been mostly relegated to the independent country realm and people who know what real Picante sauce is supposed to taste like. But now that she’s become the first signee to John Prine’s Oh Boy Records in fifteen years, she’s ready now to take this shit international.

“It’s hard for me to put into words what it truly means to me to be signed to Oh Boy Records. To have someone like John, who I have looked up to my whole life, who I have set my songwriting standards after and my general music making standards after, to have someone like him endorse my music and care enough about it to make sure it reaches a wider audience…that means everything.” (read more)

Dallas Moore – Tryin’ To Be a Blessing -October 4th

Just like Dallas Moore’s last album Mr. Honky Tonk, the his new effort was produced by Dean Miller, son of the legendary Roger Miller and a fellow country singer/songwriter, and will be released by Sol Records. The album features a guest appearance by Nashville Honky Tonk singer Tommy Ash on the song “Lovin’ on Backstreets.”
Moore’s mother—a bluegrass and gospel performer herself—bought her son his first guitar when he was 16 years old. A few years later, Moore enrolled at Northern Kentucky University to study jazz and classical guitar but he found his true calling in a less high-brow environment around the same time, performing on the local bar scene in a country house band. Multi-night stints playing classic covers set a precedent for the Dallas Moore Band’s sound and unrelenting tour schedule.

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Jason James – Seems Like Tears Ago – October 4th

George Jones once famously asked, “Who’s Gonna Fill Their Shoes?” Jason James may have a long way to go to forge a similar legacy to the greats of the Golden Era of country music, but he doesn’t have to travel far at all to illustrate the same talent those legends did in putting sound behind the emotions of heartache and joy that the best of country music captures.

“I really think that what I’m doing is pretty universal and that people can recognize honesty and passion when they hear it,” he says. “It’s worth remembering that at one time, the stuff that was popular on the country chart were the guys who influenced me. So I know that it can work. I think people still hear music the same way they always have, and they’re looking for the same things in music that they’ve always looked for. (read more)

Logan Ledger – I Don’t Dream Anymore EP – October 4th

There has been a bit of a switcheroo in the Logan Ledger world. Originally scheduled to release his self-titled, T Bone Burnett-produced debut on October 4th, the full-length LP has been delayed by Rounder Records for a future date. However, he will be releasing a 4-song EP called I Don’t Dream Anymore on October 4th. Ahead of the new EP, he’s released a song called “Oh, Sister” featuring Courtney Marie Andrews.

With a voice somewhere between George Jones and Dwight Yoakam, he’s one of the most promising of up-and-coming names in independent country and roots. No specific word about the delay in releasing a debut album, but perhaps he needs just a little bit more time to develop some name recognition for the debut to have the impact it deserves.

Cody Jinks – After The Fire (10-11) and The Wanting (10-18)

We’re not just getting one new album from Cody Jinks in 2019, we’re getting two. The first is called After The Fire due out October 11th with a campfire on the front. Then the next week, on October 18th, we’ll get another record to be called The Wanting with a two-headed wolf on the cover.

This was what was behind the Cody Jinks camp warning us to “expect the unexpected” this fall when they first announced After The Fire in May, but it wasn’t the only thing. Along with the sibling records, Cody Jinks is taking the lead in doing something about the lack of liner notes that accompany many of today’s digital releases, and that especially affect the songwriters and musicians whose names and contributions get lost in the streaming era with a dynamic new website feature. (read more)

Kendell Marvel – Solid Gold Sounds – October 11th

Even if you’ve never heard the music, perhaps you’ve seen the name. And even if you’ve never seen the name, you’ve probably heard the music, just under a different name than his own. It’s all the work of songwriter and performer Kendell Marvel, who has made a career writing songs for the likes of Jamey Johnson, George Strait, Lee Ann Womack, Brothers Osborne, Chris Stapleton, and others.

After growing frustrated by having to cater his songs to what country radio would play, Kendell Marvel launched a solo career, releasing his first LP Lowdown & Lonesome in 2017. Just as much blues, Southern rock, and soul as country, it sparked a lot of attention for the songwriter. Now he’s looking to take his solo career a step further by partnering with Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys as both producer and label owner (Easy Eye Sound) to release Sold Gold Sounds. (read more)

Chris Knight – Almost Daylight – October 11th

There is daylight at the end of the long tunnel that has been the dearth of new music from one of country music’s most revered songwriters. Chris Knight can stand toe to toe with just about any of the songwriting stalwarts of the era, but it’s been seven years since he last hunkered down in the studio and given us something new for the listening rotation. That will all change on October 11th when he will release Almost Daylight via Thirty Tigers.

Produced, mixed and mastered by the Grammy-winning Ray Kennedy, Almost Daylight also includes guest appearances by Lee Ann Womack, and John Prine who sings on his old classic “Mexican Home.” “I love that song, but it took me 15 years to find a way to do it,” Knight says of one of the two cover songs on the record. Almost Daylight is said to feature banjo, fiddle, and harmonica. But there is also a lot of electric guitar courtesy of Dan Baird. (read more)

Marty Stuart – The Pilgrim (Reissue) – October 18th

Marty Stuart’s Magum Opus The Pilgrim is being reissued and for the first time on vinyl, along with an accompanying CD with 10 bonus tracks taken from the project and other recorded material Marty has amassed over the years. The 20th Anniversary Edition of The Pilgrim will be released on MCA Nashville/UMG Nashville.

Marty Stuart released his conceptualized 20-song magnum opus The Pilgrim as his final album on a contract with MCA Nashville. A commercial flop that rendered no radio singles, it nonetheless went onto become one of the most revered releases in the Marty Stuart collection, and for some fans, one of the most cherished albums in all of country music. (read more)

Stoney LaRue – Onward – November 1st

Stoney LaRue has been a warrior of the Texas and Red Dirt touring circuit for nearly 20 years, and has contributed backing vocals to the recordings of Lee Ann Womack, Miranda Lambert, and others. Now he’s back with a new record called Onward set to be released via One Chord Song/Smith Entertainment. The new record was produced by the award-winning Gary Nicholson, who also helped co-write 10 of the songs, and recorded Onward in his Nashville studio.

“I’m now getting back to being happy,” LaRue says. “I’ve been writing a lot and figuring out what direction I am going in. That’s why this album is called ‘Onward.’ It’s a more mature album written about myself, humanity and the truth. The writing of it turned out to be medicine that didn’t have to be prescribed.” (read more)

Miranda Lambert – Wildcard – November 1st

“When people listen to this record, I want them to know that I see them and hear them,” says Miranda Lambert. “I feel you, because I’m just a girl from East Texas, writing about all the things that go on in my world and in the worlds of people around me. I want people to get along, you know, just be who you are, own it and move on from the moments you couldn’t live in.”

Notable songwriter names include the “Love Junkies,” a.k.a. Hillary Lindsey, Lori McKenna, and Liz Rose contributing multiple songs; Highwomen member Natalie Hemby appears on five tracks, fellow Pistol Annies member Ashley Monroe appears on a couple of tracks, solo performers and previous Miranda Lambert collaborators Brent Cobb and Jack Ingram pick up credits, as does well-respected songwriter Jon Randall. Miranda Lambert co-writes every song on the record. (read more)

Ags Connolly – Wrong Again – November 1st

Wrong Again is Ags Connolly’s third studio album from traditional country singer and songwriter from the unlikely location of Oxfordshire, England. Produced on his own, the album see Ags work with a team of London-based musicians at Woodworm Studios in his home county to bring England’s version of honky tonk alive. Ags also enlisted the expert help of accordionist Michael Guerra (The Mavericks) and fiddle player Eamon McLoughlin (Emmylou Harris, Rodney Crowell), both of whom have appeared on his previous album.
Popular in Ameripolitan circles and beyond, don’t let his country of origin through you off about the nature of his honky tonk heart. He’s got more country more country roots than many of the Southern boys tractor rapping in mainstream country.

 

OTHER CONFIRMED RELEASES

Colter Wall and the Scary Prairie Boys (2-song release) – September 27th (read more)

Mick Mullin – Music City Miracle – September 27th

Hot Club of Cowtown – Wild Kingdom – September 27th

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

Sofia Talvik – Paws of a Bear – September 27th

Charlie Parr – Self-Titled -September 27th

Tedeschi Trucks Band – High and Mighty EP – September 27th

David Beck’s Tejano Weekend – Tejano Weekend Vol. 1 – September 27th

Kalie Shorr – Open Book – September 27th

Susan Gibson – The Hard Stuff – October 4th

Old Crow Medicine Show – Live at the Ryman – October 4th

Kacy & Clayton – Carrying On – October 4th

Monica Rizzo – Sunshine Is Free – October 4th

Brooke White – Calico – October 4th

Memphis Kee EP – October 4th

Bonnie Bishop – The Walk – October 4th

The Avett Brothers – Closer Than Together – October 4th

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

Ben Brooks – Jean on Jean – October 7th

Helene Cronin – Old Ghosts & Lost Causes – October 11th

Malin Pettersen – Alonsome EP – October 11th

Brothers Osborne – Live At The Ryman – October 11th

Mark Chesnutt – Live From The Honky Tonk – October 15th

Joe Stamm Band – Songs Without A Home EP – October 17th

Jimmy “Duck” Holmes – Cypress Grove – October 18th

Bakersfield Sound Box Set (Bear Family) – October 18th (read more)

Karen and the Sorrows – Guaranteed Broken Heart – October 18th

The Magpie Salute – High Water II – October 18th

The Drunken Hearts – Wheels of the City – October 18th

Triston Marez – EP – October 18th

David Newbould – Sin & Redemption – October 18th

Maddie & Tae – Everywhere I’m Goin’ EP – October 18th

Dillon Darmichael – I Do For You EP – October 18th

Darin & Brooke Aldridge – Inner Journey (Covers Album) – October 18th

Zachary Lucky – Midwestern – October 18th

Jake La Botz – They’re Coming For Me – October 18th

EmiSunshine – Family Wars – October 18th

Allison Moorer – Blood – October 25th

Libby Koch – Redemption 10: Live at Blue Rock – October 25th

Kinky Friedman – Resurrection – October 25th

John Surge – Your Wonderful Life – October 25th

The Rhyolite Sound – Mojave Gold – October 25th

Nick Nace – Wrestling With The Mystery – October 25th

Oak Ridge Boys – Down Home Christmas – October 25th

Creed Fisher – Old School – October 31st

The Carolyn Sills Combo – Return to El Paso – November 1st

Erin Enderlin – Faulkner County – November 1st

Lynyrd Skynyrd – Last of the Street Survivors Live – November 1st

The Mavericks – Play The Hits – November 1st

Vetiver – Up On High – November 1st

John Byrne Band – A Shiver in the Sky – November 1st

Uncle Walt’s Band – An American in Texas (reissue) – November 1st

Micky and the Motorcars – Long Time Comin’ – November 1st

Tracy Byrd – Live From Billy Bob’s – November 8th

The Revelers – The End of the River – November 8th

The Raelyn Nelson Band – Don’t – November 8th

Jerry Leger – Time Out For Tomorrow – November 8th

Bloodshot Records – Too Late To Pray (Compilation) – November 8th

Luke Combs – What You See Is What You Get – November 8th

Amanda Kate – Time – November 9th

Grifters & Shills – Pretty Little Secrets – November 9th

David Ball – Thinkin’ Problem (Reissue) – November 15th

Grayson Jenkins – Cowboy Dream EP – November 15th

Todd Snider – East Nashville Skyline (vinyl reissue) – November 15th

Those Poor Bastards – Evil Seeds -November 15th

Blackberry Smoke – Homecoming: Live in Atlanta – November 15th (read more)

Come On Up To The House: Women Sing Waits – November 22nd

The Possum Posse – Take a Number, Satan – November 22nd

Triggers & Slips – The Stranger – November 22nd

Nick Dittmeier – Companion EP – November 22nd

The Bodarks – Live Americana – November 23rd

John Riggins – I Want My Country Back – November 27th

Sarah Jane Scouten – Confessions – November 27th

Jack Marion and the Pearl Snap Prophets – High Country Rock n Roll – November 27th

Graham Reynolds – MARFA: A Country & Western Big Band Suite – November 22nd

Shane Owens – Thankful for Country Music – December 6th

George Ducas – Yellow Rose Motel – December 6th

Nick Shoulders – Okay, Crawdad – December 19th

Josue Kinter – Dreamy Draw – December 20th

Marcus King Band – El Dorado – January 17th, 2020

Alan Baronsky – Lonesome Road EP – January 17th, 2020

The Reeves Brothers – The Last Honky-Tonk – January 24th, 2020

The Wood Brothers – Kingdom in My Mind – January 24th, 2020

Terry Allen – Just Like Moby Dick – January 24th, 2020

Ronnie Dunn – Re-Dunn (24-song covers album) – January 2020

Dustbowl Revival – Is It You, Is It Me – January 31st, 2020

Possessed by Paul James – As We Go Wandering – January 31st, 2020

Aubrie Sellers – Far From Home – February 7th, 2020

Miss Tess – The Moon Is An Ashtray – February 7th, 2020

The Lone Bellow – Half Moon Light – February 7th, 2020

John Moreland – LP5 – February 7th, 2020

Tami Neilson –  Chickaboom! – February 14th, 2020

Carly Pearce – Self-Titled – February 14th, 2020

The Singing Butcher – Top 40 – February 21st, 2020

Sadler Vaden – Anybody Out There? – March 6th, 2020

Sarah Jane Nelson – I’m Not Broken – March 20th, 2020

Phoebe Hunt and the Gatherers – Neither Of Us Is Wrong – April 10th, 2020

THE RUMOR MILL

The Dixie Chicks have an album coming up in early 2020 tentatively titled Gaslighter (read more).

Chris Stapleton has been featuring new songs recently (read more).

Sierra Ferrell has signed to Rounder Records. New album expected in 2020 (read more).

Garth Brooks has a new album coming called Fun and has released a couple of songs from it, but no release date as of yet.

New Pat Reedy album called Make It Back Home coming. No release date yet.

Rachel Brooke has a new album finished. Stay by for more info.

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

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

Parker McCollum has signed with Universal Music Nashville, and released a new single ahead of an upcoming album.

Corb Lund just released a covers EP, and syas he has a new studio LP coming soon.

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 more info soon.

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

Jaime Wyatt has a new album on the way produced by Shooter Jennings.

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 very soon. Don’t be surprised if a famous name is tied to the release from Merle’s son.

Ward Davis is prepping a full LP to be released via Thirty Tigers.

John Baumann has been recording in Nashville with producer Eddie Spear.

Elizabeth Cook says that she has finished writing her next album.

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

 

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