Wyatt Flores Announces Debut Album “Welcome To The Plains”
It seems a little weird to talk about the debut album from surging Oklahoma songwriter Wyatt Flores since it feels like he already has multiple album’s worth of material out there. Three EPs and scores of singles have fed into his rapid growth as a songwriter and performer, making one of the hottest names in country and roots music.
But enough messing around. Now he’s ready to release a legitimate 14-song LP under the name Welcome To The Plains on October 18th, and with all new songs as opposed to repackaging songs already out there. Produced by Beau Bedford, the album officially consists of two parts: happy on one side, sad on the other. The LP version will come in two separate albums symbolizing the separate moods.
“It’s an album about home and a search for happiness,” Flores explains. “It’s the stories of my life, my family, and the people and places in my life who have defined who I am today. It feels like these last three years have been building up to this music.”
In July of 2023 amid a swell of popularity, Wyatt signed to Island Records through OEG Records, which is a division of Universal Music Group. From near Stillwater, Oklahoma and the home of Red Dirt music, you hear that mix of country, folk, and rock influences in Wyatt’s sound, while adding a distinctly vulnerable emotional component to much of his lyricism which has proven to be infectious with younger listeners.
“We worked really hard to make a classic and I’m so excited for you to hear these 14 songs,” Flores says. “Whether you’re from the east, west, north or south I hope you find something you love in here … Thank you all so much for your support and allowing me to have this life. I don’t know how I got so lucky to be in the position I’m in but I take none of it for granted and I made the album I’ve always dreamed of making.”
Ahead of the album, Flores has released the song “Don’t Wanna Say Goodnight” that he says is, “a straight up rocker meant to be played at full volume before we dive deeper into all the other stories I’ve lived.”
Welcome To The Plains is now available for pre-order.
Track List:
1. Welcome To The Plains
2. When I Die
3. Oh Susannah
4. Only Thing Missing Is You
5. Don’t Wanna Say Goodnight
6. Habits
7. Right Here With You
8. The Truth
9. Forget Your Voice
10. Angels Over You
11. Little Town
12. Stillwater
13. Falling Sideways
14. The Good Ones
September 2, 2024 @ 8:40 am
I realize we still have a few months to go before any AOTY arguments ensue on here, but until this news I was certain nothing would knock off Johnny Blue Skies and Red Clay Strays for mine. Wyatt definitely has the potential to be a game changer with this record. I’m thinking Miranda is going to take a good shot as well. Gotta believe when 2024 is over it’ll go down as one of the best years ever for great music.
September 2, 2024 @ 8:54 am
Well that instantly became the most anticipated album of Autumn. I was skeptical that he could live up to the hype until I saw him live. Not only was he great, but the crowd dynamics made the show stand out and (dare I say) surpass Silverado and 49 Winchester who he was sandwiched between.
September 2, 2024 @ 10:43 am
Saw him back in March, will pick this album when it comes out!! Should be a good one!
September 2, 2024 @ 11:00 am
Song is good but “straight up rocker” is not how I’d describe it lol. If you want to describe a song that way you gotta flip the pickup to the neck humbucker on that tele in the music video, crank the amp, and start beating the shit out of the strings. Rock elements sure, “straight up rocker” no.
September 2, 2024 @ 12:29 pm
I took that as a warning from him that you shouldn’t judge the whole album off this one song. There will be slower more singer/songwriter stuff, and more country stuff. I appreciate that because so often fans knee jerk off the first song released from an album.
September 2, 2024 @ 1:17 pm
Very good point
September 2, 2024 @ 2:09 pm
Go Pokes
September 2, 2024 @ 3:27 pm
Trig, from the description of the album it sounds like Welcome to the Pains just might be the right title for it, but Flores’s Instagram and other places (as well as the title of your post) list it as Welcome to the Plains. You’ve written “Pains” both times in the body of the article so maybe it was intentional?
September 2, 2024 @ 7:48 pm
Just a dumb typo. I’ve corrected it.
September 2, 2024 @ 4:40 pm
I’m rooting for this guy but his sound is not nearly gritty enough for me and that may be an age thing. Toss in some Lucero’ish grit to his songs and I may bite.
September 3, 2024 @ 11:39 am
Botta Bing, I get that perspective and your comments resonate. I definitely prefer not only grittier vocals but also the overall sound. However, I saw Wyatt this summer and his live show was good. I was entertained, even with only knowing about half of the songs. And, I was definitely old enough to be the father of most of the attendees!
September 2, 2024 @ 5:51 pm
I have to keep reminding myself how young he is. He seems so much more mature in his songwriting.
Some of my favorite tunes ever.
Glad I’ll be able to see him live in northeast Ohio before he gets too big.
September 8, 2024 @ 8:15 pm
I have been following Wyatt Flores for a year now, I am a big fan of his unique sound. Wyatt always has very unique and personal lyrics that never fade to tell a story full of many different emotions. Further into that thought, I had the pleasure of seeing him perform live this past summer. Boy does he know how to work a crowd. He has already accomplished so much in his career and I can’t wait to see how the wonders this album will work in many peoples lives. Wishing nothing but the best for Wyatt the rest of his career!
October 18, 2024 @ 11:23 am
The songs, the instrumentation, the voice, are solid, but his genius is in using them as a foundation for a live show that delivers a vibe, a worldview, an escape, better than most anyone out there. If I’m Wyatt, I’m studying Jimmy Buffett and Kenny Chesney as my roadmap to the stadiums.