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Writer's pictureKenneth O'Benjamins

Country Artists you should listen to in 2020


To all the country music folks remember when you wake up in a cool morning listening to a soft country music that makes you feel at home, well these days the TV barely wake you up with such songs as hip-hop has flooded the whole place. We can't expect our legends like Don Williams, Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton to keep hitting the charts with new music as their time is over, so there are beautiful artists out there who can keep the Country music legacy going, we just have to listen to them.

Below are the list of 10 Country artists you should listen to in 2020.


1. Chris Bandi

Hailing from St. Louis, Chris Bandi proves that you can be a city boy and still find a home in country music. A singer and songwriter with a knack for personal stories and an evocative, slightly sandy voice, Bandi found an audience for his music with the 2017 digital smash "Man Enough Now." Influenced by rock, pop, hip-hop, and R&B as well as country, Bandi's music reflects his wide-ranging tastes, with the electronic beats and Auto-Tuned vocals of "Only One," the reggae-accented rhythms of "Rain Man," and the sleek pop production of "Gone Girl" confirming he's not just another country artist.


2. Kylie Frey

There is an undeniable conviction behind the voice of Kylie Frey that inspires anyone who hears her to trust her. Her sincerity comes naturally as a native of the musically sacred state of Louisiana, a third-generation rodeo star and a burgeoning honky-tonk hero. Following two Top 10’s on the Texas Regional Radio Report Chart and her first No. 1 “Rodeo Man,” she relocated to Nashville to pursue country music professionally and aligned with GRAMMY winner Paul Worley for her world debut in 2017. She released the acclaimed Rogers collaboration “Too Bad,” which was her second No. 1 on the Texas Regional Radio Report Charts. She was one of Twain’s protégés on the inaugural season of USA Network’s “Real Country” in 2018. Another Texas chart-topper “Ain’t Enough Beer” followed in November 2018. She is currently promoting her latest single “One Night in Tulsa,” which is a emotive take on the desperation one feels when longing for true love.


3. Johnny Gates

Nashville based singer/songwriter Johnny Gates isn't a rookie. He started his first band in high school, and immediately fell in love with music. Spending the first few years climbing up the ladder in his local music scene, Johnny and his band, RUNAWAY SAINTS, eventually moved to Nashville, TN to chase the dream. Once in Nashville, he and his band had a chance to work with some of music's biggest names, such as Nathan Chapman (Taylor Swift, Keith Urban, Lady Antebellum) and Dan Huff (Rascal Flatts, Thomas Rhett, Midland), sign to a major record label, and most importantly, focus his attention on songwriting. After getting close enough to taste his dream, and even opening on tour for Rod Stewart, Johnny had to make a career defining decision, which was stepping away from the band, moving to Los Angeles, and going forward with just his guitar. Since that day, Johnny has toured the US multiple times, landed a spot on a national network television show, played to a packed house at the Troubadour, and went to work writing and recording his debut solo project. But, before he was ready to release that project, Johnny had one more final step to take, and that was returning home to Nashville, to finally cross the finish line, that had evaded him for all those years.


4. Caroline Jones

Caroline Jones is an American country music singer and songwriter and a radio host. Her most recent album, Bare Feet, was released in March 2018. In 2010, Jones launched The Heart is Smart initiative, which included performing in schools and colleges and providing music workshop for students. She also wrote and produced her debut album herself in New York City and Nashville in 2010, playing multiple instruments on the album. In January 2011, Jones self-released the album, Fallen Flower. She quickly followed by another three albums the following year. In 2013, Jones became the host of Art & Soul, a radio show on SiriusXM's Coffee House interviewing musicians on their music and songwriting. Jones was listed as one of the 10 need-to-know new country artists by Rolling Stone in 2017, and one of 15 country artists to watch by Billboard in 2018.


5. Caitlyn Smith

Caitlyn Smith is an American singer-songwriter and musician. She was raised in Cannon Falls, Minnesota. She has written songs recorded by Meghan Trainor ("Like I'm Gonna Lose You", duet with John Legend, #1 on Billboard Adult Top 40 chart), Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton ("You Can't Make Old Friends"), and more. She released the EP Starfire in July 2016. In January 2017, she announced she had signed a label deal with the newly reformed Monument Records. Smith has played at Lollapalooza, Bourbon & Beyond Festival, Americana Fest and ACL Fest. Caitlyn was named one of Rolling Stone Magazine's "10 New Artists You Need To Know".


6. Hailey Faith Whitters

Hailey Faith Whitters is an American country musician originally from Shueyville, Iowa. Witthers has written songs for Little Big Town, Alan Jackson, and has written with Lori McKenna. Witthers has toured with Little Big Town, and opened for Maren Morris on her 2019 Girl: The World Tour. Whitters released her debut full-length album in 2015 titled Black Sheep. Whitters co-wrote Little Big Town's song "Happy People", from their 2017 album The Breaker. On September 13th 2019, Whitters released an Extended play entitled "The Days", which serves as the first half of her upcoming album, "The Dream". On January 24th 2020, Whitters released a single called "Janice at the Hotel Bar", written with her frequent collaborator Lori Mckenna.


7. John Robert Moreland

John Robert Moreland was 6born on June 22, 1985, he is an American singer-songwriter from Tulsa, Oklahoma Largely self-performed and self-produced, Moreland produces music that is influenced by his Oklahoma roots, music that is "gloriously and joyfully heartbreaking." Moreland sometimes plays solo with an acoustic guitar, but was often accompanied by two different bands: the Black Gold Band (now defunct) or the Dust Bowl Souls. Though his earlier music was more rock-based, his more recent releases are characterized as being sparsely acoustic.


8. Letitia VanSant

Letitia VanSant From sparse indie folk ballads to hard-hitting Americana anthems, Letitia VanSant’s distinctly intimate voice delivers songs that are both deeply personal and politically relevant. Whether performing as a duo or with her all-star four-piece band, her live shows have been described as “vibrant and approachable.” VanSant’s songwriting has earned numerous awards, including the Kerrville New Folk Songwriting Competition, an honor shared among the likes of Lucinda Williams, Lyle Lovett, and Anais Mitchell. She is a finalist for the 2019 Baker Artist Awards and listeners of 89.7 WTMD voted one of her songs among the top 10 of the year.


9. Rachel Wammack

Rachel Wammack is a country music singer/songwriter signed to RCA Records from Muscle Shoals, Alabama. In 2018, she released her first self-titled EP. Wammack is from Muscle Shoals, Alabama. She wrote her first song when she was 12 and by 17 was discovered by Sony. Before she began her recording career, she attended the University of North Alabama where she was crowned Miss UNA 2015. Six months after she finished school she signed with Sony and moved to Nashville. Her first self-titled EP was produced by Dann Huff and was released on April 6, 2018. Rolling Stone magazine listed Wammack as one of “10 new Country artists you need to know.” Her single "My Boyfriend Doesn't Speak For Me Anymore" was also featured on Rolling Stone and was described as "mixing the power-pop pipes of Adele with the women-first attitude of Loretta Lynn." The EP also features her first single, "Damage", which was co-written with Tom Douglas and David Hodges.


10. Tenille Arts

Tenille Arts was on born April 19, 1994, she is a Canadian country music singer from Weyburn, Saskatchewan. She independently released an extended play and studio album before signing a record deal with indie label Reviver Records in 2018. Her first album for the label, Love, Heartbreak, & Everything in Between, is scheduled for release in January 2020. Arts was nominated for the Discovery Artist Award by the Canadian Country Music Association in 2016 and has received multiple awards from the subsidiary Saskatchewan Country Music Association.

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