Aaron Watson feels like the protagonist of a tobacco advertising campaign, like a dressman for American cowboy fashion – or simply as you would imagine a Texas country music artist. Watson is a quite established name in the business, indeed: since 1999, he is regularly releasing albums and grew his fan base steadily. On 8th January 2021, he released his latest album, American Soul. A review.
Aaron Watson – About The Artist
James Aaron Watson is a Texas country singer-songwriter, who was born on 20th August 1977 in Amarillo. At the age of 22, he released his first album Aaron Watson – Singers and Songwriters. His third album shutupanddance (2002) was the first one which got some national attention. Four years later, San Angelo was the first album chart placement for the artist. Since then, he was growing his popularity steadily, peaking in the mid-2010’s: his 2015 The Underdog even topped the US Country Charts, the following one, Vaquero, still made it second. The latter album also featured his biggest single hit, Outta Style, which made it to the Top 10 of the US Country Airplays. After a live and a Christmas album, he released his latest album, Red Bandana, in June 2019. The album peaked on the seventh spot of the US Country album charts. American Soul is Watson’s thirteenth studio album.
Aaron Watson – American Soul – Track by Track
The ten track album lasts 31 minutes.
1. Silverado Saturday Night
So baby climb on up and slide on in
High as a kite, feeling free as the wind
Find that buckle next to me in the middle
You can grind my gears but don’t you play me like a fiddle
We can tie one on and come unwound
Turn up the heat when the sun goes down
No, they don’t call it a truck bed for nothing, yeah, you know that’s right
Nothing’s better than a Silverado Saturday night
The first track on the album already feels welcoming, cozy: straight country music with a bit of a traditional touch – but also very speedy – the Silverado Saturday Night definitely feels like a hard hat and a party!
2. Boots
And I can’t keep my boots on the ground – the second track Boots is definitely bit of slower and has a big touch of romance in it. Again, I feel that Aaron Watson is creating a lovely sound, which makes you move. Sounds good!
3. Whisper My Name
You fire that engine up, feel that four on the floor
Your hands inside my shirt, feet up on the dashboard
I’m still your wildest side and, baby, you’re my wildest dream
Take you out and take you home, make a move and make you scream
When you whisper my name
Cool chorus! Apart from that, I really like that track again as well – not too surprisng Aaron Watson used it as a single beforehand. Really catching, straight country, with a modern, but also individual touch. Great writing!
4. Best Friend
Shall I spoil who the Best Friend in this song is? I decided not to do – and just recommend to listen to the song by yourself. A beautiful country ballad.
5. Long Live Cowboys
When I stated that Aaron Watson just looks like a prototype of a US cowboy (at least Europeanized perspective), it is not too surprising that he hopes for Long Live Cowboys. The song might be a bit too much on the heroic side – but finally, when you listen to it while driving through Texas on the Interstate, I am sure you will happily use the steering wheel or dashboard to clap a happy rhythm to it. Good song!
6. Stay
You make me wanna stay is the final verse of the chorus – and Stay is indeed a song which made me smile. One reason is the lovely, somehow stereotyped comparisons and pictures used in this song.
Like old Willie’s guitar, like a neon Lonestar
Just like all my drifting honky tonkin’ friends
Rolling from town to town, we throw it up, we tear it down
Back on the road again by 2am
All those last call late nights, no shows and bar fights
I need you like a tonic to my bottle of gin
You always take my empty cup then you fill it back up
You take my heart and top it off again
Don’t get me wrong – I feel it is really cool 🙂
7. American Soul
The title track of the album is one of these very characteristic US-praising songs at first sight – but it is also encouraging people to value the US values and to work and fight for them. Thus, it just does not feel that pathetic to me.
8. Out Of My Misery
Before you leave me drink all my wine, come steal my covers one last time
Won’t you stay, put me out of my misery
Come wreck my bed and hold me tight, break my heart come morning light
Just give me one more night, tonight have mercy on me
Put me out of my misery
This very fluent and melodic song even gave me some memories of the 1980’s era. It is a beautiful song – one, which I could by the way very well imagine in German mainstream radio as well. Beautiful chorus.
9. Touchdown Town
There just needs to be a song about American Football when you publish an album called American Soul, doesn’t it? I like the way how Watson is describing the emotions around the match event. Nice one.
10. Dog Tags
My heroes wear dog tags – the album closes with a praise to the US troops and their role preserving freedom. I typically simply do not refer that much to these kind of songs, but I really enjoy the way Watson is doing it – and finishes his American Soul in style.
Aaron Watson – American Soul – Spotify
Here is the American Soul Spotify widget:
Aaron Watson – American Soul – My View
When I listened to American Soul the first time, I felt it was rather average – but the more often and the deeper I listen to Aaron Watson songs, the more I recognized that I will have to go for the higher ratings. Finally, after completing my review, I am in the Top Pick! zone. The songs are telling great songs, using a very good and clear (but still picturesque) language and the melodies are good. Did I miss any ingredients to make a good song? Don’t think so. If you pass all exams with a good mark, your final report is simply a good one: very well done, Mr Watson!
Top Pick Country Media Reviews
Here are all country music media reviews, which have been awarded with Top Pick! status:

Melanie Wiegmann & Carl Carlton – Glory of Love

Gregor McEwan – Going Solo

TracieLynn – More Than a Bad Habit EP

Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway – City of Gold

Lori McKenna – 1988

Tom Astor – Wieder da!

Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real – Sticks and Stones

Sean Patrick McGraw – Hillbilly Hippie

Sylvia Aimee – Identity EP

Lucinda Williams – Stories From A Rock N Roll Heart

Deer Tick – Emotional Contracts

Tanya Tucker – Sweet Western Sound

Brandy Clark – Brandy Clark

Anna Demetriou – More To This

Philip Bradatsch – Philip Bradatsch

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

Joe Henry – All The Eye Can See

Laura Cox – Head Above Water

Richard Lynch – Radio Friend

Adam Warner – What We’re Known For

Poppy Fardell – Back On My Feet

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

Stephanie Quayle – On The Edge

Russell Dickerson – Russell Dickerson

Kenny Foster – Somewhere in Middle America

Alex Williams – Waging Peace

Ashley McBryde – Lindeville

Richard Marx – Songwriter

Dr. John – Things Happen That Way

Kelsea Ballerini – Subject To Change

Kane Brown – Different Man

Charley Crockett – The Man From Waco

Jon Pardi – Mr. Saturday Night

Watkins Family Hour – Vol. 2

Wade Bowen – Somewhere Between The Secret and The Truth

Pete Wolf Band – Crosswalk To Nowhere EP

Brooke Eden – Choosing You EP

Whiskey Myers – Tornillo

More Than Words – Today (Make Today Be the Best Day of Your Life)

Jonny Houlihan – Coffee and Jesus

Kylie Morgan – P.S. EP

Luke Combs – Growin’ Up

The Cumberland River Project – A Smell of Gravy

Brett Eldredge – Songs About You

Carrie Underwood – Denim & Rhinestones

Kyle Daniel – Following the Rain

Old Crow Medicine Show – Paint This Town

Joshua Hedley – Neon Blue

Cole Swindell – Stereotype

Ann Doka – House of Change

Ian Noe – River Fools & Mountain Saints

Tiffany Woys – All About Love EP

Doug Adkins – A Cowboys’ Life

Klaus Lage – Je wahrer die Liebe

Erin Rae – Lighten Up

Katie Henry – On My Way

Conner Smith – Didn’t Go Too Far EP

Noah Guthrie – Blue Wall

Jacob Bryant – Bar Stool Preacher

Rachel Bradshaw – Rachel Bradshaw 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

Ryan Hurd – Pelago

Toby Keith – Peso In My Pocket

Logan Mize – Welcome To Prairieville

Billy Strings – Renewal

Mickey Guyton – Remember Her Name

Charley Crockett – Music City USA

Peter Maffay – So Weit

Riddy Arman – Riddy Arman

Ashland Craft – Travelin’ Kind

Jayne Denham – Wanted

Clare Dunn – In This Kind Of Light EP

Chris Young – Famous Friends

Laci Kaye Booth – Laci Kaye Booth

Jim Lauderdale – Hope

Ryan Kinder – Room To Dream

Clay Walker – Texas To Tennessee

Los Lobos – Native Sons

Jolina Carl – Mexican Overdrive

Lauren Jenkins – Miles On Me, Part 1 EP

The Wallflowers – Exit Wounds

LANCO – Honky-Tonk Hippies EP

Riley Green – Behind The Bar EP

Gary Allan – Ruthless

Meghan Patrick – Heart On My Glass

pez – All Lowercase EP

Kylie Morgan – Love, Kylie EP

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

Black River Delta – Shakin’

Blackberry Smoke – You Hear Georgia

Blake Shelton – Body Laguage

Jesse Keith Whitley – Breakin’ Ground

Dillon Carmichael – Hot Beer EP

The Steel Woods – All Of Your Stones

Emma Moore – the table EP

Thomas Rhett – Country Again: Side A

Priscilla Block – Priscilla Block EP

Elvie Shane – County Roads EP

Eric Church – Soul

Eric Church – &

Eric Church – Heart

Brett Kissel – What Is Life?

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

Jon Randall – Neon Texas EP

Canaan Smith – High Country Sound

Tyler Braden – What Do They Know EP

Kaylee Bell – The Red EP (EP)

Hayden Joseph – Different

Willie Nelson – That’s Life

Carly Pearce – 29 EP

Lainey Wilson – Sayin’ What I’m Thinkin’

Tobacco Rd Band – Worth Fighting For

Jake Hoot – Love Out Of Time EP

Jimmy Weber – Black & Blue Heart

Willie Jones – Right Now

Chelsea Berman – Can You Just Not EP

Petric – Flashbacks

Steve Earle & The Dukes – J.T.

Cody Weaver – Southern Noise EP

Russell Dickerson – Southern Symphony

Granger Smith – Country Things, Vol. 2

Ward Davis – Black Cats and Crows

Kameron Marlowe – EP

Chris Stapleton – Starting Over

Mira Goto – Nobody Warned Me EP

Trace Adkins – Ain’t That Kind Of Cowboy EP

Jason Nix – Money on You EP

Dolly Parton – A Holly Dolly Christmas

Terri Clark – It’s Christmas … Cheers!

Van de Forst – Unconditional

Hardy – A Rock

Lauren Alaina – Getting Over Him EP

Tennessee Jet – The Country

Josh Turner – Country State of Mind

Lindsay Ell – Heart Theory

Lori McKenna – The Balladeer

Olivia Lane – “Living Instead” Podcast about Artists’ Life and More


Jonny Houlihan – Hey Girl EP


Eric Paslay – Heartbeat Higher EP


Kyle Nix – Lightning On The Mountain & Other Little Stories


Gabby Barrett – Goldmine


Kip Moore – Wild World


Jaime Wyatt – Neon Cross


Florida Georgia Line – 6-Pack EP


Steve Earle & The Dukes – Ghosts of West Virginia


Travis Denning – Beer’s Better Cold EP


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


Kenny Chesney – Here and Now


Hot Country Knights – The K Is Silent


Tim Dugger – Signs Of A Good Time EP


Drake White – Stars EP


The Washboard Union – Everbound


Twinnie – Hollywood Gypsy


Julia Cole – Honey Child EP


Maddie & Tae – The Way It Feels


Sykamore – California King EP


Ashley McBryde – Never Will


Brett James – I am Now EP


Delta Rae – The Light


Kelsea Ballerini – Kelsea


The Shires – Good Years


Lauren Alaina – Getting Good EP


The Cumberland River Project – The Cumberland River Project (Album Review)


Carly Pearce – Carly Pearce


The Cadillac Three – Country Fuzz


Richard Marx – Limitless


Celeste Kellogg – Keep It On Repeat EP


Redeye Caravan – Nostrum Remedium


Cody Hibbard – Memory and A Dirt Road


Little Big Town – Nightfall


Dustin Lynch – Tullahoma


Pete Wolf Band – 2084 (Album Review)


Cassadee Pope – Stages (with Track by Track Commentary)


Björn Heuser – Kopp voll Dräum (Nashville Recordings)


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



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


Miranda Lambert – Wildcard


Jon Langston – Now You Know EP


Old Dominion (Album Review)


Sylvia Aimee – Superhero EP


Chris Janson – Real Friends


Chris Knight – Almost Daylight


Brantley Gilbert – Fire & Brimstone


Sturgill Simpson – Sound & Fury


Sheryl Crow – Threads


Tanya Tucker – While I’m Livin’


Tyler Childers – Country Squire


Willie Nelson – Ride Me Back Home


Bruce Springsteen – Western Stars


Lauren Jenkins – No Saint (Album Review)
All “classic” blog posts
No reviews – just debating and certain topics – these are my “traditional” blog posts in the categories Just blogging, Just blogging on music and Sports Blogging:


The Privilege of the Loo – On Bathroom Distribution in Airplanes


Rock of Ages – 2024 International Dates of the Musical


Thank You, Rohan Bopanna!


Food I Had Onboard X (July 2023 til early September 2023)


Praise The Underdogs – I Look Back to the European Soccer Competition Qualifications


Heart to Heart – Semmel Concerts Introduces the Songwriters Round to Germany


Home is where the heart is – My Twelve Favorite Cities of the World


NHL Schedule 2023-24 released – Here are my suggested Trips


Seepark Biker Days Pfullendorf 2023 – Atmosphere & Impressions


Seepark Biker Days Pfullendorf 2023 – A Preview


Food I Had Onboard IX (Mid-May 2023 til June 2023)


Rock of Ages UK Tour – A Personal Farewell and Thanks


My Traveler’s Thoughts About… Renting a Car and Driving in Iceland


Food I Had Onboard VIII (April 2023 til Mid-May 2023)


My Favorite Eurovision Song Contest Songs


Traveling on Iceland’s Ring Road (Reprise)


Travel all Germany for 49 EUR a Month? The New Deutschland Ticket


Rock of Ages Opening Night – Red Carpet Impressions


Thumb Up or Down? A Personal View on my Loyalty Program Portfolio


Food I Had Onboard VII (mid-February 2023 til March 2023)


Five Years of Flyctory.com – My 20 Most Popular Travel Posts (so far…)


Jim “Kimo” West is playing the very first German Weird Al Show tonight – he is back with “Nacht der Gitarren” in Fall


Food I Had Onboard VI (December 2022 til mid-February 2023)


Davis Cup Qualifiers – A Bad Day For (Men’s) Doubles Tennis


Flyctory.com Best Ones 2022


Flyctory.com – My Favorite Albums / EPs 2022


Flyctory.com – My Favorite Songs 2022


How I would love European Flight Compensation Regulation to Change


Covid-19, Strikes and more – My Flight Rebooking Experience


Some 2022 new Christmas Song Releases – Good Ones and Weird Ones


Food I Had Onboard V (September 2022 til November 2022)


Loyalty Programs – Are We Too Committed To Stay Rational?


Weird Al Yankovic is touring Europe 2023 – Tour Dates and Travel Hints


Visiting the Lillehammer 1994 Olympic Sites in 2022


Steel Guitar Santa is Back – The Flyctory.com Country Christmas Playlist 2022


Rock of Ages – International Dates of the Musical in 2023


Food I Had Onboard IV (May 2022 til August 2022)


NHL Schedule 2022-23 released – Some suggested Icehopping Itineraries


The Bergisch Coffee Table (Bergische Kaffeetafel) – A Sweet and Savory Tradition


European Airports Go Mad – a Morning at Dusseldorf Airport


Food I Had Onboard III (Mar 2022 til April 2022)


Currently my favorite animal: Leon The Lobster


Food I Had Onboard II (Nov 21 til Mar 2022)


No Business as Usual – but I felt it is right to continue to share the World with you…


Beijing 2022 – No Flyctory.com Medal Count, Just Thoughts…


Riding the Swan Adventure Pedal Boat in Dubai – A Special Ride and Posting


Rock of Ages – Central European Shows of my Favorite Musical in 2022


Flyctory.com Best Ones 2021


Flyctory.com – My Favorite Albums / EPs 2021


Flyctory.com – My Favorite Songs 2021


Some Non-Country Christmas Songs 2021


My Top 15 Airports Flown – With Some Brief Thoughts


Ho Ho Ho – The Flyctory.com Country Christmas Playlist 2021


Food I Had Onboard (Oct 2021 til Nov 2021)


The Hits of the Trips – My Summer 2021 in Music


My Hotel Checklist – Some Services Too Many Overnights are still failing at


Tokyo 2020 – My Thoughts By Sports (… and some more)


The Flyctory.com-Style Medal Count of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics


Some weird sports I discovered during Covid-19


The Twelve Best Flights Of My Life (… so far)


Music Publications – Does Nowadays The Length Still Matter?


Smooth McGroove – A Very Special Kind of Gaming Music


Jan-Marten Block is the German Idol – Some Thoughts After a Strange Season


Bricky Trouble over Germany


Cologne – My Ten Favorite Songs About My Home Town


(Over) 400 Media Reviews on Flyctory.com – your most popular ones


The Dutch Museumkaart – One Year of Culture and History (almost) for free in the Netherlands


Understanding Train Station – A Podcast on Living Abroad and Cultural Differences


Dubai – A December 2020 Pandemic Disappointment


Flyctory.com Best Ones 2020


Flyctory.com – My Favorite Albums / EPs 2020


Flyctory.com – My Favorite Songs 2020


“Zärtliche Chaoten II” – exploring Gran Canaria 32 years later


My Ten Favorite Weird Al Yankovic Songs


My First PCR Test (Centogene Dusseldorf Airport)


Seven Things I look forward to do in the United States again


Some Christmas Present Ideas for Flyctory.com Music Lovers


Hawk-Eye Live – the End of the Tennis Line Judges?


The Country Music Week turns Digital


One Year of Flyctory.com Country Music Playlists


The Big Three of Tennis Men Singles – Unique Dominance?


German Girl in America – YouTube Videos about US-German Differences


Nashville, Let the Girls Play – Some Thoughts on Women Country Music



Olivia Lane – “Living Instead” Podcast about Artists’ Life and More


“Lady Antebellum” becomes “Lady A” – My Thoughts


Lake Constance after the touristic Lockdown – My Experience


Women Soccer Bundesliga is back – But some Girls score in a different Way


Mrs. Greenbird: Strong Crowdfunding Start for New Album


Back To Soccer-Country: Germany


Kenny Foster – His Stories behind “Deep Cuts”


Flyctory.com vs. Covid-19 – An unequal battle


Two new Flyctory.com-managed Playlists on Amazon Music and Spotify


Made in Bolka – About the Rise of a Floorball Club


My Favorite C2C: Country To Country 2020 Songs


Why I feel it makes sense to continue Flyctory.com during the Corona crisis


C2C Country To Country Berlin – Day 3 (08.03.2020) – Splitter


C2C Country To Country Berlin – Day 2 (07.03.2020) – Splitter


C2C Country To Country Berlin – Day 1 (06.03.2020) – Splitter


Flyctory.com Best Ones 2019


Christmas Songs – Why not Hawaiian Style?


My Favorite Music Albums 2019


Flyctory.com – My Favorite Songs 2019


No Women WFC 2019 Coverage on Flyctory.com?


Flyctory.com – My Postings on a Map



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


Frog Leap – An Amazing Project Back On Tour 2020


The Flyctory.com Country Music Playlists – The First Ten Weeks


Country 2 Country 2020 Lineup – My View


Sound of Nashville Press Event & Logan Mize Concert (11th Sep 2019, Cologne)


Flyctory.com on Spotify and Amazon Music Unlimited


A Preview to Country Music Concerts (European Tours)


Very Important Postings – January to June 2019


CMA Fest 2019 – My Meet & Greets


Visiting CMA Fest 2019


My Favorite CMA Fest Songs 2019


Christina Taylor & Carolyn Miller – Two Upcoming Country Artists


CMA Fest 2019 – Fan Events with Cassadee Pope and Jana Kramer


Country Music Concert Summer 2019 in Germany – a small Boom?


Shallow-ism – One Song in countless Versions


My Favorite Country 2 Country Songs 2019


European World Floorball Championship Qualification – A Preview


Entertaining or not? An Inflight Magazine Comparison


Floorball Champions Cup 2019 – A Preview to Gävle


Very Important Postings – July to December 2018


My Favorite Songs 2018


How to buy a Hotel Group Status


Davis Cup World Group Playoff 2018 – More complex than ever!


Very Important Postings – Flyctory.com’s 1st Half 2018


Flyctory.com’s Introduction on Mileage Pooling


Atlanta 1996 – 22 Years later


Ode to my Superhero – Leander Paes


My favourite Country 2 Country 2018 songs


My Medal Count Winner 2018: Canada

