He could be basking in his songwriting accolades, but Jamey Johnson remains a restlessly creative maverick.
Jamey is the co-writer of the CMA and ACM 2007 Song of the Year "Give It Away," recorded by George Strait. Trace Adkins, George Jones and Joe Nichols have also recorded his songs. But instead of sitting at home counting his royalty checks, Jamey Johnson recorded more than 40 songs during the past year.
Not content with providing hits for others, the singer-songwriter has a powerful drive to sing, record and perform.
"Writing is not enough for me," says this intense artist. "I did not come here to just be a writer. I live to play....I'm not here to take a stab at it. I am going to DO it."
Following a deep period of isolation and introspection, Jamey Johnson entered the recording studio in April 2007. Within months, Jamey emerged with That Lonesome Song, a collection of extraordinary compositions that is equally noteworthy for its lyrical craftsmanship and its strikingly original sound.
The first single from the album is "In Color" and is available in the Amazon MP3 store.
The final cut on That Lonesome Song--kind of a concept album meets musical manifesto--is titled "Between Jennings and Jones," which is where Jamey Johnson finds himself shelved in the CD racks, and also how he describes his sound. Actually, there's way more Jennings than Jones, with two cuts covered from Waylon's classic Dreaming My Dreams (the title track and "The Door Is Always Open"), another paying tribute to him by name ("The Last Cowboy") and several others borrowing liberally from his sound. Yet in terms of both concept and sound, the bare-bones intimacy of this bittersweet divorce album remind more of Willie Nelson's Phases and Stages (at least side one, the man's side), with the opening "High Cost of Living" ("ain't nothing like the cost of living high") setting the "Bloody Mary Morning" tone, extended by the sad country waltz of "Angel" and continuing through the down-and-out epiphany of the title track. Only the comparatively lightweight novelty of "Women" indicates that this is the same guy who wrote "Honky Tonk Badonkadonk" for Trace Adkins. --Don McLeese
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
Jamey Johnson is Fantastic!:
I first saw Jamey Johnson on a country video and immediately purchased his new album "That Lonesome Song." I love his sound. I describe him as a cross between Kris Kristofferson and Waylon Jennings. He has that old style soulfulness you won't find on the top 40 list.
Country Music is Back!:
I haven't been into country music for a while. I grew up on the real country music of the 50's, 60's and 70's but after that the music changed and I moved on. Well, I'm back and Jamey Johnson is one of the main reasons. "That Lonesome Song" is a true country album that sounds fresh and modern while maintaining the old flavor of the country greats. If you like country music, or just like music, you will LOVE this album!
Possible to wear out a CD? I'll find out!:
I haven't purchased an album in years, because there's maybe a good song or two on it and not much else but filler. This album is fantastic and I can't listen to it enough. He is a true "bad @$$" poet with this intimate album based on his real life experiences. Nothing fake about it, he is a long overlooked singer/songwriter, and with this album he should be brought to light. It deserves to be "Album of the Year." Jayme has soul, which is what's missing in so much music out on the radio today. I would... more info
Can't Stop Listening to "That Lonesome Song":
Bought this album a few weeks ago on the strength of "In Color". Hey, I know a finely crafted song when I hear one! But on a holiday road trip, this one CD was listened to non-stop from Bakersfield to Tucson! What an awesome collection of songs, sounds, and images. Favorites include "Mowin' Down the Roses", "The Door is Always Open", "In Color", "That Lonesome Song", "Women", "Between Jennings and Jones". "That Lonesome Song" just kills me. If you are a fan of authentic country music and enjoy listening to... more info
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