Shenandoah - Every Road
Shenandoah are truly legends of the country music history. For their 2020 album Every Road they gathered a bunch of legendary names of the genre. For example, they meet Luke Bryan, Dierks Bentley or Carly Pearce in their songs. This definitely sounds promising. The album has been released on 13th November 2020.
Shenandoah – About The Band
Shenandoah is a country music band, which is originally from Muscle Shoals, Alabama. The founding members are Marty Raybon, Ralph Ezell, Stan Thiorn, Jim Seales and Mike McGuire. Raybon and McGuire are still part of the band, which has been reformed after a 1997 split. They nowadays perform with Travis Mobley, Paul Sanders, Austrin Crum and Donnie Allen. Ezell, who left the band in 1996 and re-joined in 2002, died in 2007. Their breakthrough was the 1988 album The Road Not Taken, which included three songs, The Church on Cumberland Road, Sunday in the South and Two Dozen Roses, which were on the top of the US and Canadian country charts. The album was in the top 10 of the country charts of both country and had gold status in the US.
Overall, the band performed better in individual songs than on the long player side, Next to You, Next to Me (1990) and If Bubba Can Dance (I Can Too) (1994) again topped the charts in both North American country music markets. In addition, there were multiple Top 10 singles. After the 2003 All American Country album, the band almost took 15 years before releasing Reloaded. Every Road is the tenth album by Shenandoah.
Shenandoah – Every Road – Track by Track
The ten track album lasts 33 minutes.The first nine songs are collaborations with other country music acts – the final song is Shenandoah only.
1. I’d Take Another One of Those (feat. Zac Brown Band)
The album starts with a rather slow, classic country track in collaboration with the Zac Brown Band. Cool sound and interesting starter – but super-hit to me.
2. Make It Til Summertime (feat. Luke Bryan)
Make It Til Summertime feels much more like a good listen – maybe it is simply because I love Luke Bryan’s voice? He is definitely adding more character. Very classic country sound – and the lyrics are definitely better than the ones of the first track.
Yeah, she’s my barefoot sweet kiss on the river
Taking in that big moon, counting them stars together
Let the love flow like that muddy water
Can’t you smell that honeysuckle vine
I can make her mine
If I can make it till summertime
3. If Only (feat. Ashley McBryde)
If Only is neither having hard guitar riffs nor hip-hop style lyrics – but overall, this third track of the album feels a more modern than the two starters. The plot of the songs gets quite boring after three songs already: Shenandoah is practically performing the first verse on their own, before the additional artist – here: Ashley McBryde – is joining.
4. Every Road (feat. Dierks Bentley)
The big Dierks has the honor to perform the titlet rack with the country sextet. So far, no song has made it to be outstanding – and that definitely includes Every Road. Not a bad song at all – but if you invite a country music all star team to your music ballgame, you just expect some home runs. So far, there are some walks and first base hits.
5. Then A Girl Walks In (feat. Blake Shelton)
Can Blake Shelton turn this superband feeling into a super-song feeling? Then A Girl Walks In is definitely one of the better songs so far. The song definitely has beautiful lyrics at all, dealing with finding the girl of your life, marrying her and seeing similarities to her in your daughter. Beauty!
Then a girl a walks in, you know the right one, you can tell
Shinin’ like a million dollar penny in a wishin’ well
Buyin’ drinks turns into buyin’ roses
You’re thinkin’ rings, changing names, that’s how the story goes
Just when you think you’ve got it all and then
A girl walks in
Yeah, a girl walks in
6. High Class Hillbillies (feat. Cody Johnson)
We’re just high class hillbillies
Bringin’ country to the city
You see us everywhere you go
You hear us on the radio
You can put us in a suit, polish up our boots
But nothin’s gonna change really
We’re just high class, high class hillbillies
I liked this song from the very beginning. It may not be the best write ever (at least it is quite fun…), but it just leads to a very different and new sound in the album – the High Class Hillbillies are a lot of Rock’n’Roll! Good one.
7. Every Time I Look at You (feat. Lady Antebellum)
The seventh song on the album, Every Time I Look at You, features Lady A / Lady Antebellum. I feel the songs are significantly stronger now, have more character – even though I do not feel too strong Lady A influence in here. Good song, though.
8. Life Would Be Perfect (feat. Brad Paisley)
With the easy and happy sound, Life Would Be Perfect could almost be the melody of a children’s song – the song is dreaming about things which would make life much better:
If chocolate didn’t make you fat
And people made a little more sense
If tires they never went flat
And hail never left a dent
If Monday’s were a little more fun
And guitars stayed in tune
If I had a little more time to spend with you
Thus, it is somehow a dreaming and childish song. But that makes the the recording with Brad Paisley also a very good and catchy listen. I like it.
9. I’ll Be Your Everything (feat. Carly Pearce)
I’ll Be Your Everything is a love song recorded with Carly Pearce. The song is always about half way done (total playtime is 3:51 minutes) when you hear Carly’s voice for the very first time. Again, that just feels like a wasted opportunity. Only the last 80 seconds have a duet character – the song is real beauty from that point on.
10. Boots on Broadway
I was looking forward to this final song of the album, just because I wanted to see this track in contrast to all the songs with big names of the business. I feel that Boots on Broadway is one of the best songs of the album – even though there was so much additional talent in this album. Feels a bit sad.
Shenandoah – Every Road – Spotify
Here is the Spotify widget to Every Road:
Shenandoah – Every Road – Track by Track
If you go for a lineup like this, you simply have to deliver a good album. Maybe, this is just why I am much more disappointed of the album than I actually should be. Every Road is not bad, but we are just not talking about the debut album of a teenage newcomer band. The stars partially do not add too much value to the song, unfortunately. Thus, I overall feel that I would rather spent my time with one of the young and new acts then listening to Every Road.
US Country Music Reviews
Here are any media reviews related to US-American country music:

Uncle Lucius – Like It’s The Last One Left

Treaty Oak Revival – Have a Nice Day

Todd Snider – Crank It, We’re Doomed

Chris Stapleton – Higher

Chris Shiflett – Lost At Sea

Darius Rucker – Carolyn’s Boy

The Steel Woods – On Your Time

Dustin Lynch – Killed The Cowboy

Brent Cobb – Southern Star

Dan + Shay – Bigger Houses

Coffey Anderson – Tailgates and Heartbreaks

Morgan Wade – Psychopath

Turnpike Troubadours – A Cat In The Rain

Tim McGraw – Standing Room Only

Ryan Bingham – Watch Out For The Wolf EP

Joe Lasher – Vol. 1 EP

Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway – City of Gold

Lori McKenna – 1988

Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real – Sticks and Stones

Sean Patrick McGraw – Hillbilly Hippie

Lucinda Williams – Stories From A Rock N Roll Heart

Hannah Aldridge – Dream of America

Son Volt – Day of the Doug

Deer Tick – Emotional Contracts

Brittany Warthan – No Vacancy

Brandy Clark – Brandy Clark

Daisy Briggs – Nice Knowing You EP

Parker Millsap – Wilderness Within You

Rodney Crowell – The Chicago Sessions

Dave Hause – Drive It Like It’s Stolen

Esther Rose – Safe To Run

Texas Hippie Coalition – The Name Lives On

Brian Falduto – Gay Country

Drayton Farley- Twenty on High

Dierks Bentley – Gravel & Gold

Lucero – Should’ve Learned by Now

Cort Carpenter – All In

Chase Rice – I Hate Cowboys & All Dogs Go To Hell

Joe Henry – All The Eye Can See

Richard Lynch – Radio Friend

Margo Price – Strays

Adam Warner – What We’re Known For

Melissa Carper – Ramblin’ Soul

Billy Strings – Me/And/Dad

Live Forever: A Tribute To Billy Joe Shaver (Various Artists)

Stephanie Quayle – On The Edge

Tiffany Johnson – Over Emotional EP

Emily Nenni – On The Ranch

Russell Dickerson – Russell Dickerson

Trampled by Turtles – Alpenglow

Lainey Wilson – Bell Bottom Country

Kenny Foster – Somewhere in Middle America

Alex Williams – Waging Peace

Logan Mize – Prairie Tapes, Vol. 1 EP

Callista Clark – Real To Me: The Way I Feel

Avery Anna – Mood Swings EP

Ashley McBryde – Lindeville

Richard Marx – Songwriter

Dr. John – Things Happen That Way

Sunny Sweeney – Married Alone

Kelsea Ballerini – Subject To Change

Nikki Lane – Denim & Diamonds

Kane Brown – Different Man

Charley Crockett – The Man From Waco

Jon Pardi – Mr. Saturday Night

Ingrid Andress – Good Person

Watkins Family Hour – Vol. 2

Kelsey Waldon – No Regular Dog

Wade Bowen – Somewhere Between The Secret and The Truth

Brooke Eden – Choosing You EP

Whiskey Myers – Tornillo

Kaylee Rose – Hot Minute EP

The Local Honeys – The Local Honeys

Kimberly Kelly – I’ll Tell You What’s Gonna Happen

Jonny Houlihan – Coffee and Jesus

Kylie Morgan – P.S. EP

Luke Combs – Growin’ Up

Rachel LaRen – Cowboys Don’t Change EP

Brett Eldredge – Songs About You

Carrie Underwood – Denim & Rhinestones

Kyle Daniel – Following the Rain

Jillian Jacqueline – Honestly

49 Winchester – Fortune Favors The Bold

Aaron Raitiere – Single Wide Dreamer

Midland – The Last Resort: Greetings From

Charley Crockett – Lil’ G.L. Presents: Jukebox Charley

Old Crow Medicine Show – Paint This Town

Joshua Hedley – Neon Blue

Cole Swindell – Stereotype

Caitlyn Smith – High

Paul Cauthen – Country Coming Down

Ian Noe – River Fools & Mountain Saints

Maren Morris – Humble Quest

Tiffany Woys – All About Love EP

Doug Adkins – A Cowboys’ Life

Dolly Parton – Run, Rose, Run

Sarah Shook & The Disarmers – Nightroamer

Priscilla Block – Welcome To The Block Party

Dustin Lynch – Blue In The Sky

Jeffrey Mitchell Ross – Waited A Long Time

Erin Rae – Lighten Up

Muscadine Bloodline – Dispatch to 16th Ave.

Brent Cobb – And Now, Let’s Turn The Page

Katie Henry – On My Way

Greensky Bluegrass – Stress Dreams

Conner Smith – Didn’t Go Too Far EP

Noah Guthrie – Blue Wall

Jamestown Revival – Young Man

Jacob Bryant – Bar Stool Preacher

Ryan Montgomery – Chasing Sunsets EP

Rachel Bradshaw – Rachel Bradshaw EP

Matt Moeller – Where We Used To Be EP

Carolyn Miller – Thank You EP

Nick Walker – It’s All South From Here EP

Lucinda Williams – Have Yourself A Rockin’ Little Christmas (Lu’s Jukebox Vol. 5)

Wade Bowen – Where Phones Don’t Work EP

Armanda Shires – For Christmas

Jason Aldean – Macon

Brett Eldredge – Mr. Christmas

SixForty1 – Started Right Here EP

Ryan Hurd – Pelago

Cassadee Pope – Thrive

Toby Keith – Peso In My Pocket

Josh Turner – King Size Manger

Crystal Leigh – Trading Skylines EP

Logan Mize – Welcome To Prairieville

Billy Strings – Renewal

Taylor McCall – Black Powder Soul

Charley Crockett – Music City USA

Mitchell Tenpenny – Midtown Diaries EP

Riddy Arman – Riddy Arman

Ashland Craft – Travelin’ Kind

King Calaway – Midnight EP

Ashley Cooke – Already Drank That Beer Side A

Dan + Shay – Good Things

Chris Young – Famous Friends

Laci Kaye Booth – Laci Kaye Booth

Leah Blevins – First Time Feeling

Jim Lauderdale – Hope

Son Volt – Electro Melodier

Ryan Kinder – Room To Dream

Clay Walker – Texas To Tennessee

Los Lobos – Native Sons

Rodney Crowell – Triage

Charlie Worsham – Sugarcane EP

Midland – The Last Resort EP

Lucinda Williams – Lu’s Jukebox Vol. 2 – Southern Soul: From Memphis To Muscle Shoals

Callie Twisselman – Closure EP

The Flatlanders – Treasure Of Love

Lauren Jenkins – Miles On Me, Part 1 EP

The Wallflowers – Exit Wounds

Riley Green – Behind The Bar EP

Brent Moyer – Song Rider

Vincent Neil Emerson – Vincent Neil Emerson

Gary Allan – Ruthless

Amythyst Kiah – Wary + Strange

Kylie Morgan – Love, Kylie EP

Lukas Nelson & Promise Of The Real – A Few Stars Apart

Walker Hayes – Country Stuff EP

Brett Young – Weekends Look A Little Different These Days

Andrew Jannakos – Gone Too Soon EP

Brynn Cartelli – Based On A True Story EP

Southerland – Boot Up EP

Lori Rayne – 1926 EP

Blackberry Smoke – You Hear Georgia

John Hiatt With The Jerry Douglas Band – Leftover Feelings

Jordan Davis – Buy Dirt EP

Blake Shelton – Body Laguage

Oliver Wood – Always Smilin’

Jesse Keith Whitley – Breakin’ Ground

Dillon Carmichael – Hot Beer EP

Alan Jackson – Where Have You Gone

The Steel Woods – All Of Your Stones

Travis Tritt – Set In Stone

Matt Castillo – How The River Flows EP

Thomas Rhett – Country Again: Side A

Priscilla Block – Priscilla Block EP

Ronnie Milsap – A Better Word For Love

Todd Snider – First Agnostic Church of Hope And Wonder

Elvie Shane – County Roads EP

Adam Douglas – Better Angels

Justin Moore – Straight Outta The Country

Carver Louis – Take Off EP

Eric Church – Soul

Eric Church – &

Eric Church – Heart

Fancy Hagood – Southern Curiosity

Rev. Peyton’s Big Damn Band – Dance Songs For The Hard Times

Canaan Smith – High Country Sound

Leslie Jordan – Company’s Comin’

Tyler Braden – What Do They Know EP

Carrie Underwood – My Savior

Esther Rose – How Many Times

Sara Watkins – Under The Pepper Tree

Midland – The Sonic Ranch

Loretta Lynn – Still Woman Enough

Morgan Wade – Reckless

Joey Hendricks – Between The Clouds EP

Alyssa Trahan – Baby Blues & Stilettos

Jimbo Mathus & Andrew Bird – These 13

Track 45 – Big Dreams EP

Adam Warner – Big Storm

Hayden Joseph – Different

Willie Nelson – That’s Life

Adam Hambrick – The Flipsides EP

Carly Pearce – 29 EP

Lainey Wilson – Sayin’ What I’m Thinkin’

Haley Mae Campbell – Growing Up EP

Tobacco Rd Band – Worth Fighting For

Florida Georgia Line – Life Rolls On

Colton Chapman – Can’t Hide The Truth EP

Alex Hall – Six Strings EP

Daniel Holmes – Dead End Town

Lucero – When You Found Me

Jake Hoot – Love Out Of Time EP

Langhorne Slim – Strawberry Mansion

Logan Mize – Still That Kid

Matt Wynn – Matt Wynn EP

Jimmy Weber – Black & Blue Heart

Willie Jones – Right Now

Devin Dawson – The Pink Slip EP

Whitney Duncan – Heartbreaker EP

Morgan Wallen – Dangerous – The Double Album

Colby Keeling – Catch Me If You Can EP

Aaron Watson – American Soul

Tanner Sparks – Living A Nightmare

Steve Earle & The Dukes – J.T.

Bret Mullins – Kiss The Girl

Cody Weaver – Southern Noise EP

Russell Dickerson – Southern Symphony

Brian Callihan – Brian Callihan

Granger Smith – Country Things, Vol. 2

Garth Brooks – Fun

Ward Davis – Black Cats and Crows

Lee Brice – Hey World

Kameron Marlowe – EP

Chris Stapleton – Starting Over

Easton Corbin – Didn’t Miss A Beat EP

Charlotte Ave – Women of Country

The Cadillac Three – Tabasco and Sweet Tea

Runaway June – When I Think About Christmas

Matt Stell – Better Than That EP

Trace Adkins – Ain’t That Kind Of Cowboy EP

Austin Michael – Austin Michael

Brothers Osborne – Skeletons

Drew Haley – Wildflower EP

Jordan Brooker – The Young Troubadour’s Almanac

Bon Jovi – Bon Jovi 2020

Dolly Parton – A Holly Dolly Christmas

Brent Cobb – Keep ’em on They Toes

Carrie Underwood – My Gift

Diana DeMuth – Misadventure

Granger Smith – Country Things, Vol. 1

Smith & Wesley – Greetings From The Land of Y’All

Elizabeth Cook – Aftermath

Mickey Guyton – Bridges EP

Hardy – A Rock

Lauren Alaina – Getting Over Him EP

Tennessee Jet – The Country

The Tuten Brothers – Radio Plays EP

Ryan Griffin – Name On It EP

Tiffany Johnson – Tiffany Johnson EP

Molly Tuttle – … but I’d rather be with you

Ruston Kelly – Shape & Destroy

Courtney Cole – Earthquake EP

Tucker Beathard – King

Kree Harrison – Chosen Family Tree

Josh Turner – Country State of Mind

Tim McGraw – Here on Earth

Caylee Hammack – If It Wasn’t For You

Mo Pitney – Ain’t Lookin’ Back

Eric Paslay – Nice Guy

RaeLynn – Baytown EP

Mary Chapin Carpenter – The Dirt and The Stars

Cassadee Pope – Rise and Shine

Luke Bryan – Born Here, Live Here, Die Here

Charley Crockett – Welcome To Hard Times

Chris Tomlin – Chris Tomlin & Friends

Rascal Flatts – How They Remember You EP

Canaan Cox – Stilettos EP

Dixie Chicks / The Chicks – Gaslighter

Lakeview – She Drove Me To The Bar EP

Jimmie Allen – Bettie James EP

Brett Eldredge – Sunday Drive

Jonny Houlihan – Hey Girl EP

Willie Nelson – First Rose of Spring

Eric Paslay – Heartbeat Higher EP

Kyle Nix – Lightning On The Mountain & Other Little Stories

Gabby Barrett – Goldmine

Gone West – Canyons

Tyler Farr – Only Truck in Town EP

Kip Moore – Wild World

Craig Morgan – God, Family, Country

Florida Georgia Line – 6-Pack EP

Steve Earle & The Dukes – Ghosts of West Virginia

Chase Rice – The Album Part II EP

Travis Denning – Beer’s Better Cold EP

Sara Evans – Copy That

Randy Rogers & Wade Bowen – Hold My Beer, Vol. 2

CJ Solar – Coming My Way EP

Kenny Chesney – Here and Now

Hot Country Knights – The K Is Silent

Tim Dugger – Signs Of A Good Time EP

Drake White – Stars EP

Upchurch – Everlasting Country

Lena Stone – Princess EP

Lucinda Williams – Good Souls Better Angels

Bree Doster – Bree Doster EP

Julia Cole – Honey Child EP

Maddie & Tae – The Way It Feels

Ruthie Collins – Cold Comfort

Sam Hunt – Southside

Ashley McBryde – Never Will

Brett James – I am Now EP

Jim Lauderdale – When Carolina Comes Home Again

Ingrid Andress – Lady Like

Delta Rae – The Light

Kelsea Ballerini – Kelsea

Rachel Reinert – Into The Blue

Brandy Clark – Your Life is a Record

Lauren Alaina – Getting Good EP

The Secret Sisters – Saturn Return

Hailey Whitters – The Dream

Carly Pearce – Carly Pearce

John Moreland – LP 5

The Cadillac Three – Country Fuzz

Richard Marx – Limitless

Celeste Kellogg – Keep It On Repeat EP

Steve Moakler – Blue Jeans

Cody Hibbard – Memory and A Dirt Road

Little Big Town – Nightfall

Dustin Lynch – Tullahoma

Cassadee Pope – Stages (with Track by Track Commentary)

Jason Aldean – 9 (Album Review)

Lady Antebellum – Ocean

Luke Combs – What You See Is What You Get (Review)

Luke Combs – This One’s For You – The Record-Breaking Album

Miranda Lambert – Wildcard

Hootie & The Blowfish – Imperfect Circle

Jon Langston – Now You Know EP

Old Dominion (Album Review)

Maddie & Tae – Everywhere I’m going EP

Chris Janson – Real Friends

Chris Knight – Almost Daylight

Blanco Brown – Honeysuckle & Lightning Bugs

King Calaway – Rivers

Brantley Gilbert – Fire & Brimstone

Sturgill Simpson – Sound & Fury

Emma White – The Actress EP

Zac Brown Band – The Owl

Riley Green – Different ‘Round here

Trisha Yearwood – Every Girl

Sheryl Crow – Threads

Taylor Swift – Lover

Tanya Tucker – While I’m Livin’

Midland – Let It Roll

Tracy Lawrence – Made in America

Olivia Lane – The One EP

Tyler Childers – Country Squire

Jade Jackson: Wilderness (Album Review)

Runaway June – Blue Roses

Willie Nelson – Ride Me Back Home

Bruce Springsteen – Western Stars

Lukas Nelson & Promise Of The Real – Turn Off The News (Build A Garden)

Sarah Darling – Wonderland (Album Review)

Thomas Rhett – Center Point Road (Review)

Lauren Jenkins – Running Out of Road (Short Movie)

Maren Morris – GIRL (Album Review)

Lauren Jenkins – No Saint (Album Review)

Florida Georgia Line – Can’t say I ain’t Country (Review)

Cassadee Pope – Stages (Album Review)

Brett Young – Ticket to L.A.
Musical History
These are all articles, in which I dealt with events and places influencing musical history:

Finnish Music Hall of Fame (Musiikkimuseo Fame)

American Jazz Museum (Kansas City)

Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum Nashville

Husavik Eurovision Exhibition

Royal College of Music Museum

National Blues Museum (St. Louis)

RCA Studio B Tour Nashville

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum (Nashville)

Here It Is: A Tribute to Leonard Cohen (Various Artists)

Gallery of Iconic Guitars at Belmont (Nashville)

Glen Campbell Museum

Willie Nelson and Friends Museum Nashville

National Museum Ras Al Khaimah

Ryman Auditorium Self-Guided Tour

Museum at Bethel Woods – The Original Site of the 1969 Woodstock Festival

Patsy Cline Museum (Nashville)

Johnny Cash Museum (Nashville)

Rokksafn – The Icelandic Rock’n’Roll Museum (Reykjanesbaer)

Scala Museum Milan

Icelandic Punk Museum (Reykjavik)

Museum Luciano Pavarotti House

Munich Olympic Tower and Rockmuseum

rock’n’popmuseum Gronau

Venice Music Museum

The Grammy Museum Los Angeles

Rhythm! Discovery Center Indianapolis

Sun Studio – The Birthplace of Rock’n’Roll

Tina Turner Museum (West Tennessee Delta Heritage Center)

Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum

Elvis Presley’s Graceland – The Exhibitions

Elvis Presley’s Graceland – The Mansion

Memphis Music Hall of Fame

Elvis Presley Birthplace (Tupelo MS)

Gateway To The Blues (Tunica, MS)

A Musical Trip to CMA Fest 2019 (Day 6 – 5th June 2019)

A Musical Trip to CMA Fest 2019 (Day 5 – 4th June 2019)

A Musical Trip to CMA Fest 2019 (Day 4 – 3rd June 2019)

Bate Collection of Musical Instruments (Oxford)
